KOTA KINABALU:
The Prime Minister’s announcement on the RM13.5 billion allocation to develop rural education has been described as “a wise decision” that could benefit thousands of rural people, especially in Sabah. Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun, who is the Minister in charge of education, said the huge allocation would go a long way in enhancing the level of rural educationing Sabah. “We welcome the announcement. Sabah still lacks basic facilities.., for instance classrooms and teachers’ houses are in dilapidated condition, and in some places there are none at all. “So we hope the huge allocation can be used to tackle the problem,” he said when asked to comment on the RM13.5 billion allocation announced by Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday. Tabling the Ninth Malaysia Plan’s mid-term review, Abdullah said special attention would be given to rural schools in Sabah and Sarawak, including pre-school education. Masidi also urged the Federal Government to build hostels in each rural school in Sabah. “There are pupils who have to walk for miles to, get to school. I think it’s time that we do something to help them,” he said. He also welcomed the Government’s move to equip rural schools with information and communication technology (ICT) facility. “This is one of the ways in which we can bridge the digital divide between rural and urban schools. But the ICT equipment will be rendered useless if the schools are without electricity,” he said. -Bernama
