KUALA LUMPUR: The government has allocated RM40 million to the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) to carry out a maintenance project for 302 tube well systems in rural schools across Sabah and Sarawak this year.
Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh said the Education Ministry (MOE), in collaboration with the Sabah and Sarawak governments as well as the Public Works Department (JKR), has also undertaken the construction and installation of tube well water systems in remote areas of both states.
“Since 2021, the total approved contract allocation for this initiative stands at RM94.5 million. Under this project, 90 schools have been identified - 79 in Sabah and 11 in Sarawak.
“Construction is actively underway, with physical progress for 64 schools averaging 59.85 per cent. The project is set for completion within two years and is expected to be fully completed by 2025,” he said during the question-and-answer session at the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday.
He was responding to a question from Datuk Larry Sng (PBM-Julau) regarding the ministry’s efforts to ensure rural schools, particularly those without access to clean water, receive adequate supply, outlining the concrete measures taken and the implementation timeline.
Wong said that this year, 16 schools have been approved to modify their project scope to incorporate atmospheric water generator (AWG) technology.
He added that JKR is currently finalising the supplemental agreement to implement the new scope, while approvals for AWG implementation in 10 schools in Sabah are still in progress.
Additionally, he noted that RM30.6 million was spent last year on maintaining 302 tube well systems for rural schools in Sabah and Sarawak.
