KOTA KINABALU: The State Education Department has been allocated RM10 million for the maintenance of schools in Sabah under the OS 28000.
Its director, Datuk Jame Alip, in his first address for the year at the Federal Building auditorium near here yesterday, said that the allocation would be used to conduct maintenance works at schools.
“Through the allocation, we hope to be able to provide schools with good basic infrastructures by the year 2015,” he said.
Jamie also said that starting this year, the Education Ministry had given authority to the State Education Department to handle the approval of projects costing between RM500,000 and RM5 million.
“Packages costing below RM50,000 will be approved by the director, whereas packages costing under RM20,000 will be approved by the District Education Office. The delegation of power is meant to improve the effectiveness of our delivery system,” he said.
He however gave the reminder that the delegation of power by the ministry to the department carried with it the need for accountability and integrity.
“Financial management is not an easy feat. It requires efficiency, and an education leader that is disciplined, accountable and possesses high integrity,” he said.
In his address, he also mentioned that various issues were raised following the distribution of the 1Malaysia Early School Assistance recently.
“The issues came up because accountability and integrity had not been the main focus of the schools’ principals and headmasters. Such attitude not only jeopardizes the good name of our officers, the department and the ministry, but may also destroy the future of the officers involved. Hence, I urge leaders at all levels to abide by the procedures and financial regulations that have been put in place,” he said.