Dr Annuar (centre), Dennis (right) and Jok visit the teacher’s quarters at SK Long Luteng.
MIRI: Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Research (MESTR) is expected to roll out its plan in earnest to rebuild the dilapidated Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Long Luteng, said its Assistant Minister Dr Annuar Rapaee during his visit to the school.
He said there is a need for a long-term plan to develop the school located at Sungei Patah, Ulu Baram which has over 170 pupils with 99 per cent of them Penans from 14 villages in Sungai Patah and Abang areas.
During the visit Dr Annuar looked at the school facilities including its run-down hostels and teachers’ quarters.
He was briefed by the school headmaster Jok Ipoi that there was an approval to build new school blocks but it was held back by a land issue.
That issue has now been resolved after the school management team and Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau met the villagers who later agreed to give the land back to the government to build the new blocks and facilities.
“To me, the school need to be rebuilt, not repair,” Dr Annuar said, adding that, for the short-term plan, the ministry will discuss with the student affairs division (HEP) on how they can help as soon as possible.
He revealed that the framework to improve schools throughout the state has slowed down due to problems brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We will have to carry out our plan aggressively and will invite the State Education Department from Kuching to come here to see the real situation with their own eyes,” he said.
Earlier, Jok disclosed that the attendance rate of the pupils has improved to 98 per cent compared to 87 per cent the previous year.
However, the achievement rate for Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) was still low and stands at 17 per cent the previous year.
“The state government will build five international schools and I do not want to see those schools have no students from the Penan community.
“I want to make sure that in three to four years from now, there must be students from SK Long Luteng and other Orang Ulus schools to the international schools,” the assistant remarked at a welcoming ceremony earlier.
He said the high attendance rate of the pupils signified that there is awareness on the importance of education among the Penan community.
“With regards to academic performance, we cannot expect much from the students with this kind of environment. We cannot blame the teachers, in fact I salute them who have come here to teach.
“We understand everything and we need to move forward together. I am sure if this school can be upgraded it will definitely benefit our students. Today, life is difficult without education. I hope the Penan community from 19 villages around this area will continue to give advice and strong emphasis on education especially among the younger generation.
“Everyone, including those from the Penan community, can be good at education through hard work. If you parents could not go to university, make sure your children succeed in going to universities.
“There is no other way to develop and progress other than through education,” he stressed.
He also expressed his gratitude to the Penan community in Long Luteng for handing over 10 acres of land to the government for the purpose of building a school in the area.
“This is a great sacrifice of the community here. Therefore, it has become a challenge for me, YB (Dennis) and the state government to ensure that the school can be built in an orderly and organised manner for our students,” he added.
Among those present during the visit were Dennis, MESTR permanent secretary Kameri Affandi, political secretary to the chief minister Charles Balan Seling and Long Luteng headman Tangan Anyi.
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