KUCHING: A total of 155 cheques amounting to RM20 million was handed over to various mission school authorities in Sarawak.

Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, who is also the Minister-In-Charge for the Unit for Other Religions (UNIFOR), said that this funding was critical for the repairs and upgrades of classrooms to provide a safer teaching and learning environment for its teachers and students across the state.

“We will continue to support mission schools. The Sarawak Government takes this initiative to support mission schools, as the mission schools have yet to be given full funding from the federal government.

“With this, we hope that our anak Sarawak in mission schools will have better and up-to-date facilities in line with what is being enjoyed by students in other schools”, he said during the cheque presentation today.

The allocation was provided on top of the RM70 million allocated from 2021 to 2024 for mission schools.

The allocation was carried out in two phases, with Phase 1 involving RM17.83 million for 126 projects, and Phase 2 involving RM2.17 million for 29 projects.

The mission authorities were represented by their advisers, with Minister for Education, Innovation and Talent Development, Datuk Seri Roland Sagah Wee Inn, representing the Anglican Diocese of Kuching; Deputy Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government, Datuk Dr Penguang Manggil, representing the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kuching; and Deputy Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, Datuk Snowdan Lawan, representing the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sibu.

Additionally, Minister for Transport, Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin, represented the Roman Catholic Diocese of Miri; Minister of Works, Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi, represented the Methodists (Iban); and Minister for Food Industry, Community and Rural Development, Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, represented the Methodists (Chinese).