Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe by Email This is the SECOND time this school’s misery is published in newspaper. Already once in January, and before that in 2011. So that’s 2.5 years. Already. Nothing to be surprised as the school remains the same as in 1970s, and standing on the same stilts built in 1924. Another 11 years it will centenary celebration for the stilts.
Before GE13, MIC’s Dato Saravanan visited and mentioned about relocation. 6 months down the lane, still waiting for decision. Will forward this to newly minted Deputy Minister of Education P Kamalanathan to see how things are progressing.
No canteen, no field, no computer lab, no science lab. AND still does well in UPSR.
Do you believe these parents will vote for you?
89 years old: St Joseph was built in 1924 on wooden stilts. Today, it still stands on the same wooden stilts. The school does not have a canteen, field, library, science lab or computer room.
PARENTS of children attending an 89-year-old Tamil primary girls’ school in Sentul, Kuala Lumpur are calling on the Government to make good its promise to build a new school for them.
SJK (T) St Joseph’s board of governors want to know what progress has been made on a pledge that they be relocated.
In January during the distribution of RM100 school assistance by then Deputy Federal Territories Minister Datuk M. Saravanan, parents had requested for a new building with proper facilities.
Following this, Saravanan announced the Government had allocated three acres of land in the Batu Muda people’s housing project (PPR) where the school would be relocated to.
He said the land belonged to the Education Ministry, and that it was ideal because it could accommodate a football field too.
“Saravanan told us an announcement would be made before the general election,’’ school board chairman Alice Fatimah said. However, they have not heard anything since.
“Every day they (parents) ask me to update them on when we are getting the land. Their children’s future is at stake,’’ she said.
“We want the authorities to come clean about their plans for our school, especially when there are rumours that something else is being planned for the land.
“We will go to Putrajaya to see the Prime Minister if we have to.”
She reiterated that they were only asking for what had been promised.
Alice said St Joseph would be holding its annual Sports Day on June 15, and the school authorities needed to look for sponsors to bring pupils to the venue.
“We face this problem every year. Since we have no school field or proper facilities, we have to beg for sponsors to provide us with a venue to carry out activities such as Sports Day.
“This time, we are holding the event at La Salle Sentul, but we still need funds to transport the children there.
“In April, we organised a Science Day for the children but we could not afford to hold it at a different venue. We had no choice but to cram over 100 pupils into the assembly area.
“This is not the way to educate children, we clearly need a more conducive environment for them,’’ she lamented.
All this can be settled once and for all if the Government builds the school,’’ said Alice, who was formerly the St Joseph’s parent-teacher association (PTA) chairman.
Former PTA deputy chairman Kobi Subramaniam said there were rumours the land had been allocated for another project.
A parent who only wished to be identified as K. Menaka said she studied at St Joseph in the 1970s.
“It was tough back then, with no facilities, but nothing has changed for my 10-year-old daughter who is studying here now,’’ she said.
Parent M. Shankar said with so many Indian representatives in the government, someone should take the responsibility to solve the problem.
“Enough is enough, it is time for action and we want this matter resolved once and for all,’’ Shankar said.
St Joseph was built in 1924 on wooden stilts. Today, it still stands on the same wooden stilts. The school does not have a canteen, field, library, science lab or computer room.
Its pupils sit under trees during recess and have been doing their sports activities by the roadside.
According to Alice, the school receives some funds from the Education Ministry from time to time to repair the leaking roof and termite-infested building.
“Clearly, long-term solutions are needed for the well-being of these children,’’ she said.
In January, StarMetro reported that the owner of the land had asked the school to relocate.
Due to uncertainty over its future, the school authorities were not able to proceed with renovation plans on the ageing structure.
“It would be pointless to keep renovating when in the end, we do not know what the future holds,’’ Alice pointed out.
The partially-aided school has five classrooms, 135 pupils and 15 teachers.
Those interested in helping the school can call Alice at 012-305 9615.
source: http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2013/6/7/central/13207439&sec=central
