Smart schools vs sick schools

From Malaysia Today - http://www.malaysia-today.net/2008/content/view/8817/1/

Do read the full article. I am so disgusted with this state of affairs, that it took me a while to calm down. The school situation is worse than I had expected. I will only quote 2 statements, one by the Deputy Education Minister, and another by the Deputy PM, with my own highlighting and comments.

From Razali (Deputy Education Minister)

'... One-third of Malaysia's schools do not have water and electricity, a minister said, pledging to fix the problem by 2010....

'Deputy Education Minister Razali Ismail told Bernama that all 9,806 schools will have access to basic utilities by the end of a four-year education development plan....70 percent of schools already have access to water and electricity. The other 30 percent are mostly located in rural areas, but "we are confident the problem will be solved by 2010".

From Najib (Deputy Prime Minister):

"...that the first Smart School is being built at a cost of RM144.5 million. Apart from being wired, it would have a hostel for 800 students, an Olympic-size swimming pool, a hockey pitch, a hall and other facilities. Eventually all Malaysian schools will be operated on this concept. ..."

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My comments:

1. Can a school NOT have access to water and electricity?

If there is no electricity, what do you do for fan and lights?

If there is no water, what do you do for toilets?

Without electricity and water, you can CALL THAT A SCHOOL?

Oh, I forgot. Malaysia Boleh!

2. 30% schools are like that. Nearly, 3,000 schools! Not 10. Not 100. But nearly 3,000!

If there is just 1 school like that, I think that would be 1 school too many, and you're telling me there are 3,000 schools LIKE THAT??

3. 2008. That's right, we are now in 2008. Not 1958, not 1968, not 1978 but 2008! This 51 years after Merdeka. Surely this not acceptable? And if so, where did we as a nation went wrong?

4. If teachers and students can access and congregate at this so-called "school" every single schooling day, why can't we as a nation supply water and electricity to the same place?

Where is the problem? Money? Is there a valid excuse at all?

If not, why isn't this problem fixed yesterday? When you had 50 years to fix it!

5. I can perhaps understand a little if you tell me, all 3,000 schools are in the most remote rural areas in which only the Orang Asli knows how to get there, but you are telling me "most" in rural areas .... so, what does "most" mean?

Are you saying there are "some" schools in/near town areas without water and electricity??? And you cannot supply electricity and water?

6. And this is the strangest part. You say publicly that in the next 4 years, you will solve all this problem when you haven't done much in the last 51 years. You expect me to believe you?

And what will you do if this doesn't happen?

In 4 years, time, will you just shrugged, and then, recycle the phrase again?

So, there is no accountability is it?

Just make a promise.

If broken, make a new promise.

And keep doing it.

7. So, my question to you is WHAT THE FXXX has the BN government been doing in the last 51 years???!!!

Ok. Ok. Let's calm down and see what our PM-in-waiting Mr Najib has to say.

8. Ok. Let's try to understand the "Smart school" concept announced by Najib. Mr Najib. You say it cost $145M to build this smart school. Hostel for 800 students. How many students in total? 1,450 students say? If so, does this mean the school cost $145M / 1,450 = $100,000 per student?

Why so blardee expensive?

9. Mr Najib - you say "Eventually all Malaysian schools will be operated on this concept".

How are you so sure?

Can you really make this public statement with honesty and integrity?

Or are you just giving us false hope?

Is our country's finances so lousy that we need this false hope?

Let's "think" a little of what you are saying.

I see 3,000 schools without electricity and water.

Let's not talk about making all schools "smart" like this.

Let's just make this 3,000 schools "smart".

Let's make it cheaper - say one school cost "just" $100M say.

What is the total cost?

3,000 schools x $100M = $300,000,000,000!!!

That my dear Deputy PM or PM-in-waiting is Three Hundred BILLION Dollars.

Where are you going to find Three Hundred BILLION dollars?

You - Mr Najib - expect the Rakyat to believe you when you say "Eventually, all Malaysian Schools" will be operated on this concept???

Do you Mr Najib have even an ounce of common sense?

Do you Mr Najib have even an ounce of integrity?

I am MOST DISSAPPOINTED in you Mr Najib.

10. And where is Hishamuddin in all this? And where is the Minister responsible for rural development in all this?

And where is the Opposition in all this?

June 16 Update: I've made some amendments in italics to reflect the fact that the total number of schools is close to 10,000, not the affected number of schools.