New school to replace the abandoned SMK Nabalu
Published on: Saturday, May 27, 2017
Tuaran: The long-abandoned SMK Nabalu project will be revived and relocated to a new site at Kampung Giok, near here, said Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid. He said his Ministry has identified 25 acres next to SK Kampung Giok for the construction of the secondary school.Describing the delay as critical, Mahdzir said the Government has always been determined to resolve it.ADVERTISEMENT "The Ministry wants the problem to be solved as soon as possible, but we have to follow the right procedures," he said after a joint working visit to schools in the district with Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau, at SK Kampung Giok, Friday.According to him, works on the SMK Nabalu project started in 2012 before it was halted in 2014, after which it was abandoned."It was abandoned as the soil was found unsuitable for construction by the Minerals and Geoscience Department...and we admit that a proper soil test was not conducted prior to the construction."But now we have a new site and will go through all the necessary processes like studies on the soil before construction."ADVERTISEMENT He also disclosed that they have completed the process of land title transfers from 10 landowners while five others have yet to sign the agreement."Once this is done, we will start to look into the design of the building," he said, adding that the new school's name will be left to the local leadership to decide.
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Mahdzir said the Government had spent about 20 per cent or about RM5 million of the total allocation for the SMK Nabalu project before it was stopped.Previously, Parti Warisan Sabah Vice Wirawati Chief, Jo-Anna Sue Henley Rampas, had questioned the fate of the abandoned project and defined it as a white elephant by the Barisan Nasional (BN) government.In a statement, she said the school will benefit the school children in the surrounding areas where they do not have to travel far for their secondary education.Tangau, who is also Tuaran MP, said the announcement made by Mahdzir will finally shed some light on the concerns faced by the people in Pekan Nabalu."This will surely solve a big problem as the aspirations of the people here to have a secondary school will finally be materialised."We heard various views, especially from the opposition, but the truth is the Government has always been working hard to build the school," he said.Earlier, Mahdzir and Tangau visited SK Mengkabong to observe the Inquiry-Based Science Education (IBSE) approach in the primary school as well as to be briefed on the school's development.In a briefing, headmistress Nuridah Kadom informed the Ministers that a portion of the school has been declared unsafe by the Public Works Department due to soil movement.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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She also said the school had in 2014 applied for new building to be constructed but had yet to obtain approval.Also present were Kiulu Assemblyman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai and District Educatiom Officer Tah Nia Jaman. - Ricardo Unto