Greetings,
Ok, as a teacher, this kind of news is a happy one for me.
Copy from Daily Express site
RM700m for Sabah education
Kota Kinabalu: Sabah has received an additional of RM400 million from the Federal Government for the expansion of the solar hybrid project to 122 schools state-wide which do not have electricity supply.
Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, who announced this, Saturday, also disclosed that a Matriculation College costing around RM300 million would be built in Sabah.
He said the allocation of the solar hybrid project came from the additional allocation of RM950 million to the Education Ministry, which was made available through the Ninth Malaysia Plan Midterm Review.
The RM400 million channelled to Sabah for the solar hybrid project is almost half the additional allocation to the Ministry.
As for the setting up of the Matriculation College in Sabah, it was to provide more opportunities for Sabahan students in numerous fields such as science and technology on their way to further their studies in institutions of higher learning both in and outside the country.
When or where the college would be built was up to the State Government, he said at the launching of the solar hybrid project for rural schools at Sekolah Kebangsaan Tudan, Tuaran, about 70km from here.
Among those present were Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman, Sabah Education Department director Normah Gagoh, Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Haji Masidi Manjun, Resource Development and Information Technology Minister Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai, Tuaran Member of Parliament Datuk Wilfred Bumburing, Kiulu assemblyman Datuk Louis Rampas and Tamparuli assemblyman Jahid Jahim.
Hishammuddin also pointed out that Sabah received a RM3.43 billion for education under the 9MP, the largest of all the other states in Malaysia and as of June, this year, RM3.56 billion had been placed under the contractually committed category.
“This means not only have we spent all the earlier ceiling, we actually have overspent about RM13 million,” he said but pointed out that this showed the Government’s commitment in improving the education in Sabah, particularly in the rural areas.
Out of the 3,904 projects in Sabah under the 9MP, 689 had been completed and operational, 405 were in the construction stage, 1,134 were in the pre-construction stage and will commenced soon while 1,676 projects are still at the final stage of planning.
Among the projects that were in the implementation stage by the Education Ministry in Sabah, he said were the solar hybrid projects to 78 schools costing RM300 million, 568 units of teachers’ living quarters in 261 rural schools (RM321 mllion) and the construction of cabin-concept classrooms in 127 rural schools (RM150 million). Other projects include the construction of 300 computer labs (RM160 million), 14 new primary schools (RM178 million), 13 new secondary schools (RM560 million), the Capital Assistance Project (RM8.58 million), construction of SMK Vokasional Beaufort (RM98 million) and construction of a Sabah Sports School (RM80 million).
“We (Federal Government) want to show to the people of Sabah that we are really committed and that these huge allocations are not merely political rhetoric.”
“Even though the current economic situation such as the increase in oil prices have forced us to review out development programmes, the Education Ministry will ensure that the education development programme in Sabah through the 9MP will go on, ” Hishammuddin said.
Meanwhile, SK Tudan’s headmaster Sachie Sono said the solar hybrid project that cost RM4 million would greatly assist the school’s teaching and learning (P&P) and the some 200 Kampung Tudan residents.
He said the project with a capacity of 15kWh had enabled computers to be installed in the school, which will greatly benefit the pupils there as they could now be exposed to information technology.
The school currently has seven teachers including Sachie and 53 pupils, who come from Kampung Tudan as well as Kampung Baraba and Kampung Bambangan, which is situated about five kilometres from the school.
Ok, now if you’re done reading, maybe you’re wondering why did I put some of the words/sentences in bold?
I’m a government garblement servant.
But before that, I’m a Sabahan. Some people may say “Hey, you Sabahan have that ‘kenegerian’ thing too much”.
Well, I’m not the one from somewhere else who came to Sabah and say “Hello! I’m from MALAYSIA”.
I am Malaysian, and I am proud of it. But being treated as a second class citizen is not my cup of tea.
Oh! Why did I say that? Sabahans are 2nd class citizen? Ok first, read the Federal Constitution of Malaysia and as a Sabahan, you’ll find that today, the 20 Points had been dishonored. On purpose?
Why does Sabah need more allocation of money than the other states? Any schoolboy can answer that! THE SIZE-AH!
We are far more bigger than any other state in Malaysia, 2nd largest after Sarawak! Even Sarawak is larger than most of the states in Peninsular joined together!
Reality check, my hometown, Keningau, is as big as Melaka!
Oh, Melaka, is a state. Keningau, is a district. So, if you treat Sabah as a state, then the money allocation for the ’small’ Melaka should be the same with Sabah which has a district of Keningau which is about the same size as Melaka?
Is that fair? Again, any schoolboy can answer that.
So when the garblement say “we are giving you MORE THAN any state in Malaysia” , please think of the size again. And try this one out for size, try comparing the schools here with the schools at your place.
Come on, a colleague of mine, an Ustaz from the peninsular was shocked after seeing the school he had been posted to, here in Sabah. He said “I never seen a ’sekolah papan’ before”. He thought ’sekolah papan’ went ‘extinct’ in the 60s - 70s.
Then the Solar Hybrid system for schools.
I don’t know who is the ‘thinker’ or ‘thinkers’ in the ministry of education but they really need to think more.
I find it funny that the garblement give Solar systems to the rural schools which costs unbelievably and ridiculously EXPENSIVE when they can actually ‘invest’ the money to give decent electric supply (the one with electric poles).
I learn that even the ‘claims’ from the people who are responsible to bring the solar systems stuff are expensive. Well, it is not easy to carry those heavy solar batteries, the panels, the wires and all the stuff using just small boats right?
So, 700 millions is not really a big amount of money. Heck, if we have 700 athletes and all of them get gold medals in the Olympics, they will get 700 millions themselves! right?
This happens when people POLITICIZE the EDUCATION! To earn political mileage. We should be sincere, think about that. If we are not that ‘ikhlas’, then why do we do it? Cause we have to? Is it not our obligation?
