KOTA KINABALU, Aug 17 — Strong cooperation between the federal and Sabah governments is important to develop an education system that is facing various issues in the state, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.

Through such cooperation, he said, the federal government is hoped to be able to play a role in driving the development of the education system in Sabah with the support of the state government.

He said the issues facing the education system in Sabah including dilapidated schools, shortage of teachers and teacher absenteeism should not be a continuous polemic.

Instead, all parties need to focus on developing the best education system for the children of the Land Below The Wind, he added.

“The issues (facing the education system in Sabah) do not reflect the excellent service, especially by teachers for our children in Sabah. If there are some weaknesses, it is inevitable, but do not make it an issue.

“We want the federal government to develop education in Sabah and the state government to help so that our children become smart and brilliant,” he told reporters after opening the 2023 Sabah School Management Appreciation ceremony here today.

At the event, Hajiji presented the excellent service award to 48 staff the State Education Department. Also present was Sabah Education Department Director Raisin Saidi.

Meanwhile, in his speech at the ceremony, Hajiji said the state government has set aside a huge allocation to provide ensure the people of Sabah get a good education.

The allocation included RM12 million to help 1,600 schools in Sabah through the Bantuan Ihsan Sekolah Sabah (Bisbah) programme and RM4 million for Bantuan Penyelenggaraan Kecil Sekolah (Balkis) which was introduced this year to help repair damage and maintenance involving costs of RM50,000 and below, he added.

On empowering Stem Education in Sabah, he said, the government has allocated a total of RM250,000 for the Fiesta Stem Programme and for the construction of the Science, Technology and Innovation Centre at the Keningau Library, costing RM3 million which is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

“Under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (KSTI), the state government is also planning to implement a high-impact project, which is the construction of the Sabah Science Centre in Kota Kinabalu, while the construction of the STI centres in Tawau and Sandakan, worth more than RM10.2 million, is from Petronas”, he said.

Hajiji said the government, through KSTI, also allocated RM 320,000 for the setting up of 16 science corners in primary schools and RM280,000 to refurbish 14 secondary school science laboratories this year. — Bernama