Ministry looking into infrastructure maintenance of old schools - Mahdzir

He said State Education Departments (JPN) nationwide had been instructed to monitor and list the type of maintenance needed for the schools to facilitate repair works according to priority.

He said maintenance including rewiring, upgrading of buildings, repairs and construction of new infrastructure were being carried out in stages with the available allocations.

"After checking on the schools' infrastructure we have defined them into three levels which are schools in very critical and dilapidated condition, schools in need of maintenance, and schools in need of minor repairs.

"All these require funds and the ministry has done its best to resolve them and implementing them on an on-going basis," he told reporters after officiating Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Dato Harun golden jubilee celebrations, here last night.

Schools should be aware that major repairs were needed for schools which are over 30 years old and the maintenance process was costly and would take a long time, he said.

Nevertheless he added, the ministry considered this a priority for the convenience and comfort of students and teachers in going through the teaching and learning process every day.

In another development, Mahdzir said the ministry was forming a special committee to get expert opinion on the proposal to introduce the Teacher Protection Act to protect teachers while they are at work.

This he said, was because the proposed act was seen to be more specific and required various views which were more holistic to avoid duplication of protection already covered under existing laws.

"Even without the Teacher Protection Act, every citizen is protected by the Constitution so we need to make an in-depth study first.