Country's first Orang Asli residential secondary school to open 2016

Rural and Regional Development Minister, Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said construction of the RM26.2 million residential school started in November, 2013 and was expected to be operational from next year.

"This school is a component for us to overcome the dropout problem among Orang Asli students from the primary to the secondary level," he said after a breaking-of-fast with the Kampung Bawong Orang Asli community, Thursday.

At the function, the minister also handed out contributions to the heads of household in the village, Orang Asli children and the keys to the Kampung Bawong Mosque.

Mohd Shafie said the residential school could accommodate 600 to 900 students and had 24 classrooms for Form One to Form Five, while the hostel could accommodate 400 students.

Mohd Shafie said this school was built under the Sungai Siput Orang Asli integrated village development programme as part of efforts to raise the living standard of this community.

"It would enable the 10,000 Orang Asli living nearby to send their children for schooling here," he added.

Under the integrated programme, a mosque costing RM1.7 million was also built in Kampung Bawong. It was fully completed on May 31, this year and received authorisation from the state Islamic Religious Department to hold Friday prayers.

Mohd Shafie said he was proud of the educational achievements of the Orang Asli, with 40 of them furthering their studies abroad for the bachelor and master's degrees and doctorate.

He said this year, 12 Orang Asli students took up further students in law, medicine and other fields.

Asked on UMNO's efforts to win back the hearts of the people while facing various issues currently, Mohd Shafie who is also UMNO vice-president, said more focus should be given to planning and implementing human capital development programmes and improving the people's economy.