KIMANIS: The Federal Education Ministry will ensure that lifejackets are provided to pupils and teachers of SK Nangkawangan to ensure their safety while crossing the river via boat.
Aware that the pupils will be supplied with boats, Deputy Education Minister II Datuk Mohamad Alamin (pic) said that the ministry will provide the necessary assistance to safeguard the children and teachers’ safety while crossing the river.
“The State Government has agreed to supply five horsepower boats to the villagers (in the area) including for the pupils,” he said recently.
“Maybe it will take some time for the suspended bridge to be completed, so the temporary option will be through boat rides and the State Education Department and the respective Education Officer will manage (the distributions) of lifejackets to the pupils, teachers and school personnel.
“We (ministry) will always ensure the safety of pupils not just in Nabawan but throughout the nation. If it comes to safety, there is no compromise and this is the ministry’s priority.”
On Friday, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said that the State Government agreed to immediately approve funds to provide boats for the affected villagers and pupils in Kampung Nangkawangan in Nabawan so that they could get across the river whilst pending the new suspension bridge construction completion.
Hajiji said that instructions had been given to the District Officer to contact the Chief Minister’s Department to procure funding for the boats and outboard engines.
The affected schools are SK Nangkawangan with 26 pupils, eight teachers and a clerk, SK Binanon with 44 pupils, 11 teachers and a clerk, SK Mamagun with 35 pupils, eight teachers and a clerk along with SK Pohon Batu with 30 pupils, nine teachers and a clerk.
Aside from SK Nangkawangan, the Kimanis MP said that further monitoring and observation will be carried out to ensure that sufficient lifejackets will also be provided to the three other schools if needed.
Mohamad said the ministry is highly aware of the situation as it is not only Nabawan that face such issues as there are areas such as Kota Belud, Tamparuli, Sipitang and Long Pasia in which pupils need to cross the rivers to get to school.
Nevertheless, he said the ministry will maintain continue to monitor the pupils’ route to school despite it being outside the Education Ministry’s responsibility or jurisdiction.