KUALA LUMPUR: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has given the Ministry of Education (MOE) a two-month deadline to respond to and implement four recommendations regarding the issue of dilapidated schools before it is summoned for follow-up proceedings.
PAC chairman Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said the four recommendations to be implemented by the MOE include the introduction of the nationwide “Zero Dilapidated School Buildings” programme to create a safe and conducive environment for teaching and learning.
In addition, the Ministry of Education needs to improve the planning and implementation of school maintenance programmes to reduce the likelihood of these schools being classified as dilapidated.
“The MOE must also strengthen project management practices through continuous meetings of the Ministry’s Development Action Committee to ensure that all planned projects are completed on time.
“The Steering Committee for the Redevelopment of Dilapidated School Buildings, chaired by the MOE, needs to be empowered to more effectively address the problems of dilapidated schools,“ she said at a press conference at the Parliament lobby today.
The PAC today tabled its report on the management of the upgrading and rehabilitation of dilapidated school buildings under the MOE, Public Works Department (JKR), Sarawak JKR and Sabah JKR after questioning several witnesses on Jan 17.
The committee also visited four schools in Sarawak on Feb 5, namely Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Supok, SK Nanga Grenjang, SK Serabang and SK Paku Central.
She said that these school buildings had long been identified as unfit for use but no corrective action had been taken.
“For example, some buildings were recommended for repair 12 years ago, but no action was taken.
“The PAC was informed that this was due to financial constraints that forced the ministry to prioritise certain schools due to their condition or critical damage,” she said.
Mas Ermieyati said the committee also noted delays in the ministry’s approval of projects to rebuild dilapidated schools, resulting in change notices that worsened existing damage and added new requirements.
She said that due to the ministry’s failure to take immediate action, PAC found that buildings categorised by JKR as “unfit or unsafe for use” were still being used.
“The alternatives offered were not conducive. This interfered with the teaching and learning process,” she said.
Mas Ermieyati said the proceedings also led to several conclusions, including that only 386 dilapidated projects were implemented and 123 (31.9 per cent) of them were completed, while 1,094 schools are yet to submit applications for dilapidated projects. -Bernama
