Schools More Than 50 Years Old Need Immediate Maintenance

Terengganu’s oldest schools should receive urgent attention as Malaysia increases its nationwide school-maintenance allocation by 50 percent, the state education department director said.

The allocation will rise from RM1 billion to RM1.5 billion next year. Kamsah@Kamal Mohamed, director of the Terengganu State Education Department, said the additional funding would give officials greater scope to address delayed maintenance at 508 schools across the state.

Many of those schools face damage linked to age and require regular upkeep to protect students and teachers. Kamsah said priority should go to safety problems involving roofs, electrical wiring, toilets, drainage, buildings, fencing and other basic facilities. Regular maintenance can prevent minor defects from becoming more serious and more expensive to repair.

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More importantly, the allocation must be translated into fast, precise and high-impact action.

Terengganu’s schools operate in varied settings, including urban, rural, remote and coastal areas. The department therefore plans to assess each school’s actual condition rather than distribute funds equally, Kamsah said. He also called for careful planning, monitoring, governance and project prioritization so that the allocation produces the greatest benefit.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced the increase as one of six measures for the public. It will cover national schools, Chinese and Tamil vernacular schools, religious schools, tahfiz and pondok institutions, and special education facilities. Kamsah said safe schools provide more than classrooms, describing them as the foundation of a quality education environment.

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A safe school is not merely a place of learning but the foundation for the formation of a quality education ecosystem.