KUALA LUMPUR: Eleven schools in the rural areas of Sarawak will receive water supply through new tube wells this year, said Deputy Minister of Education, Wong Kah Woh.
Wong stated that the MoE is working closely with the state government and the Public Works Department (PWD) to implement the initiative.
“An allocation of RM94.5 million has been provided for the construction and installation of tube well water supply systems in rural schools in Sarawak and Sabah since 2021.
“Through this project, a total of 90 schools have been identified — 79 in Sabah and 11 in Sarawak.
“Construction is currently underway, with the average physical progress of the project for 64 schools reaching 59.85 per cent and it is expected to be completed this year,” he said.
He said this during question-and answer session at the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday (March 5)
He was responding to Julau MP Datuk Larry Sng who inquired about the steps taken by the ministry to ensure the provision of clean water to rural schools, especially those that still lack access to clean water sources.
Wong added that this project is part of the Malaysian Education Development Plan 2013-2025, which stipulates that every school, regardless of location or size, must have adequate basic infrastructure to ensure a safe and conducive learning environment.
“As of last year, a total of 117 tube well systems in rural schools in Sabah and Sarawak have been removed from the maintenance list and decommissioned as the schools have either been connected to public clean water supply, closed, or relocated.
“Meanwhile, 302 rural schools in both states still rely on tube well systems, which are currently maintained periodically through the Maintenance Service Contract for Tube Well Systems in Rural Schools of Sabah and Sarawak, implemented by the Department of Drainage and Irrigation (DID),” he added.
He also said that last year, the government allocated RM30.6 million for the maintenance of these systems, and that the amount will be increased to RM40 million this year.
