KUCHING: Sarawak’s Unit for Other Religions (Unifor) has disbursed RM20mil in state assistance to 129 mission schools to repair and upgrade their infrastructure.
The amount is the first tranche of a RM30mil allocation the state set aside for the year.
Deputy Premier Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas, in handing over the cheques at his office here on Friday (Oct 16), said the remaining RM10mil would be disbursed before the year is out.
He said the money would be used to build or improve infrastructure in mission schools in the teaching of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects.
Uggah added that the money would also hopefully be used to improve the students' fluency in English.
He said that in the last five years, the annual allocation for mission schools through Unifor, a state government unit established to manage and coordinate financial assistance for non-Islamic religious institutions and organisations, was only RM20mil.
This year, it was increased to RM30mil.
On the extra RM10mil, Uggah said a study showed "it was necessary to take a firm step to ensure that (students in these schools) also have the opportunity to attain a better standard of education”.
The Anglican Diocese of Kuching received the biggest amount disbursed today, RM7.75mil, to be distributed among 40 schools.
The cheques were received by elected representative Datuk Seri Roland Sagah, who is also state Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister and Tarat assemblyman.
A total of 32 schools run by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kuching was the second biggest group of recipients, with RM4.96mil.
Their cheques were received by state Deputy Transport Minister and Mambong assemblyman Datuk Dr Jerip Susil.
A further 32 schools in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sibu received RM3.56mil, seven schools in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Miri received RM1.08mil, eight schools under the Methodist Sarawak Iban Annual Conference (SIAC) received RM1.24mil, and nine schools under the Methodist Sarawak Chinese Annual Conference (SCAC) received RM1.39mil.
The distribution is determined by a committee set up by the mission schools, Uggah added.
"This committee decides how to allocate to each mission school or to each denomination so that it appears fair.
"So far so good, there are no complaints," he said.
