KUALA LUMPUR: A total of RM52mil has been approved in 2025 under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) for the reconstruction of SK Balaban Jaya in Beluran, Sabah, and is now moving into the tender phase.
Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh said the approval, under the Fifth Rolling Plan (RP5) of the 12MP, is part of the government’s long-term planning to ensure safe and quality access to education for pupils in the area.
“The project involves the construction of six classrooms, an administration block, special rooms, four units of teachers’ quarters, as well as other supporting facilities. It is currently in the pre-construction phase, with the Public Works Department having carried out soil investigations,” he said in a Facebook post.
He added that the tender for the upgrading project will be opened next month and its implementation will be expedited.
Wong said the Sabah Education Department and the Beluran District Education Office are conducting engagement sessions with parents regarding the proposed temporary placement of pupils at SK Pekan Beluran, Bernama reported.
He said the government is aware of the issue, with the ministry engaging parents and the community while keeping pupils’ safety a priority.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim directed immediate action to address dilapidated infrastructure at SK Balaban Jaya, which has forced pupils to attend classes in unsuitable conditions.
The issue arose after reports that pupils were forced to attend classes in tents and mosque corridors after parts of the school’s infrastructure were damaged by ground movement and slope instability, rendering the environment unsafe.
