RESOLVING SABAH’S DILAPIDATED SCHOOLS IS A NECESSITY, NOT AN OPTION - MUSTAPHA

KOTA KINABALU, Feb 14 (Bernama) -- Addressing the issue of dilapidated schools in Sabah is no longer an option but a necessity that must be implemented immediately to provide students with first-class education, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs), Datuk Mustapha Sakmud.

He said that, under the Malaysia MADANI framework, social justice means narrowing the rural infrastructure gap by ensuring that every school has complete, safe, and dignified basic facilities.

“Quality education begins with a perfect learning environment. We cannot speak of first-class education if our children are still forced to learn in non-conducive environments.

bootstrap slideshow

“We must demand social justice through the provision of sustainable infrastructure,” he said in his keynote address at the Malaysia MADANI Nationhood Seminar: Discourse on the Malaysia Education Plan (RPM) 2026-2035 here today.

He added that the 2026-2035 education transformation is not the ministry's alone, but the responsibility of all.

“We can no longer be mere observers of the tide of change, as we must be its drivers. Therefore, after examining the future direction today, I lean on these three main calls as shared responsibilities we should shoulder for the sake of our children’s future.

“Firstly, I want everyone to be ‘Ambassadors of the Education Vision’. I want us all to be the 'mouthpiece' for the community. Explain the importance of this transformation to colleagues, parents, and the community. The people must understand that we are building the future, not merely changing a system.

“Secondly, we must apply an innovative mindset. Do not wait for instructions from the top before beginning to change. Use the input from today’s discourse to improve how we work, teach, and lead at the grassroots level,” he said.

He said that, thirdly, it is important to maintain MADANI synergy and continue the collaboration between academics and community drivers, as demonstrated at the event.

Mustapha added that no matter how great a planning document is, it remains meaningless without high-spirited drivers to make it a success.

“Within the RPM 2026-2035 framework, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) must be positioned as the heartbeat of the country's future economy.

“With the rapid growth of industry and the high demand for skilled labour, TVET graduates are the backbone of the nation's progress, driving national innovation and productivity,” he added.

-- BERNAMA