Kota Kinabalu: Deputy Minister of Education Wong Kah Woh said as of June 30, the policy prioritising Sabah-born teachers returning to serve their home state reached an implementation rate of 89.72 per cent, with Sabah’s overall teacher staffing level standing at 97.45 per cent.
The Ministry is also speeding up recruitment through twice-yearly intakes and open applications for Education Officer posts, while directing new teachers to be deployed first to remote schools.
He was responding to Senator Phoong Jin Zhe in Dewan Nagara. Phoong acknowledged these efforts as positive steps, but stressed that filling vacancies alone is not enough.
“We need to ensure schools have enough teachers for all subjects, not just head counts.
“Students deserve full, balanced access to quality education, regardless of whether they are in Kota Kinabalu or the interior,” he said.
On the long-standing issue of dilapidated schools, Phoong pressed for a clear timeline to speed up repairs and rebuilding.
Wong replied that the Federal Government has approved a total of RM6.6 billion for school reconstruction projects in Sabah since 2016 – including RM4.6 billion under the Madani administration between 2023 and 2026. Maintenance allocations have also risen steadily, reaching RM175.18 million as of July 17 this year – the highest among all states.
“These figures are encouraging on paper,” Phoong noted. “But many of our schools are still waiting for work to start, or remain in dangerous, outdated condition. We must move faster. Every day of delay is another day our children study in environments that do not meet basic standards.”Thanking Wong for his detailed responses and consistent attention to Sabah’s education needs, Phoong called on both levels of government to strengthen coordination and cut through delays in project implementation.
