Federal Ministry hands funds to Sabah Council of Mission Schools

KOTA KINABALU – A total of RM12,000,000.00 was allocated to mission schools in Sabah by the Federal Education Ministry, out of which 8.1 million goes to the 71 Catholic Mission Schools within the State of Sabah. The rest are allocated to the Anglican BCCM and PCS respectively. The PRK 2015 (Pakej Ransangan Khas) was specifically for maintenance and upgrading work, according to Sr Rita Chew.  The event took place on 12 Jan 2016 at the Yayasan Sabah here.

Sr Rita Chew, head of the Archdiocesan Education Commission (AEC) acknowledged that the Archdiocesan Education Commission is indeed grateful that the Education Ministry has provided this funding since 2008. It has eased the burden of the Board of Governors of each school to raise funds to carry out repairs and maintenance work for the respective schools.

She urged the Boards of Governors who act in the name of the Mission Authority to take responsibility to ensure that the money is well spent. Reminding the Boards of Governors and schools to send in their monthly progress reports to both the Ministry and the AEC, she stressed on the accountability and trustworthiness of the allocations spending.

The State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister, Datuk Masidi Manjun, who is responsible for Education matters in the State, in delivering the Chief Minister’s speech, thanked the Federal Government for such funding for mission and Chinese schools in Sabah. Masidi pointed out that the unique multiracial and close-unit family system existing in the State should be emulated by other states in the nation. He however underlined that the allocation should be given based on needs, and not for any other reasons.

Education Deputy Minister II, Senator Chong Sin Voon stressed that the PRK 2015 is given for upgrading and maintenance only and not for putting up new building. The money must be spent within the fiscal year and should not be put into Fixed Deposit.  A monthly report must be  submitted by the 10th of each month to both the Federal and the Local Authority.

Also present were Minister in the Prime Minister Department Dr Wee Kah Siong, and Sabah Education Edcation Director James Alip, and other officials. – AEC