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Kota Kinabalu: LIKAS Assemblyman Tham Yun Fook pressed for full disclosure of Sabah’s specific share for education in Budget 2027.
While the Federal Government has unveiled multi-billion-ringgit national education allocations in Budget 2027, Tham warned that big headline figures mean little without clear delivery for rural and island schools across the state.
Tham acknowledged key national allocations including RM69 billion for the Education Ministry, RM2 billion for school maintenance, RM1.3 billion to upgrade dilapidated schools and RM8 billion for technical-vocational (TVET) training.
But he stressed that the real test lies in equitable distribution, proper execution and visible outcomes for Sabah’s students.
He called on authorities to publish Sabah’s portion of the RM2 billion maintenance fund, the list of schools slated for upgrades and the priority-setting criteria used.
He also sought clarity on Sabah’s share of the RM1.3 billion dilapidated-school programme, plus spending status and progress for the RM1?billion allocation announced in Budget?2025 covering 543 schools statewide.
“We have a right to know not just the big-ticket announcements, but how much has been spent, project progress and what improvements our schools actually receive,” Tham said.
The Assemblyman also flagged an apparent gap: Budget 2027 provides living-cost assistance for government-school Form Six students, yet does not explicitly coverSenior 3 learners at Chinese independent secondary schools (SMPC).
He asked officials to confirm whether SMPCs qualify under the RM2?billion maintenance budget, and to explore dedicated or matching grant support for eligible independent campuses.
On the RM8 billion national TVET allocation, Tham urged planners to tailor programmes for Sabah’s youth, linking training to local-industry needs including oil-and-gas, renewable energy, agriculture, tourism and digital-technology sectors, alongside better campus facilities and stronger employer partnerships.
“A quality budget is not defined by its size alone — it must be distributed and implemented to deliver real benefits,” he said, adding education funding must account for Sabah’s unique geography and the special needs of remote-island and rural-area learning communities.
