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KOTA KINABALU – Kiulu assemblyman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai has called on the Education Ministry (MoE) to expedite the approval of a hostel which is proposed to be built near a school in the constituency.
In a statement today, Bangkuai said the inaction by the ministry to get the project going has forced several students from SMK Tun Fuad Stephens in Kiulu to rent rooms to attend school as they lived far in the rural areas.
The Education Ministry, he claimed, had yet to approve the construction of the hostel despite a request handed in by the school’s Parent-Teacher Association last year.
“The proposed hostel, which could house up to 80 people, is just waiting for the MoE’s consent to begin construction.
“The school’s Parent-Teacher Association sent a letter to the Sabah Education Department and this was then forwarded to the ministry, but they have yet to receive a response after a year.
“This should not have happened because most students come from remote villages and low-income families,” he said.
According to him, the rural students in Sabah should be given the same opportunities as their urban peers, saying they should be given a fair chance in honing their abilities too.
He said the government must play an effective role in providing quality and fair education to all Sabah students, including access to learning for those who are living in the rural areas.
Bangkuai, who is also Sabah tourism, culture, and environment assistant minister, advised students, particularly those who will be taking exams soon, to study hard and persevere despite coming from difficult backgrounds.
During the event, he also distributed food baskets to the San Damiano Girl’s Hostel, Montfort Youth Training Centre, San Damiano Boy’s Hostel, and the Good Shepherd Services. – The Vibes, January 17, 2022