Samy to help dilapidated Tamil school

Will the Tamil primary school of Ladang Vallambrosa in Kapar get a makeover from its dilapidated state soon?

This was the question on the minds of concerned parents and teachers of the school after the visit by MIC president S Samy Vellu this morning.

Samy Vellu promised the school’s authorities that he will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to fulfill the school’s needs.

In a meeting with the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) members, Samy Vellu said he would apply for the construction of 10 classrooms to help ease the overcrowded situation.

Currently, the school only has 17 classrooms to cater for 572 students.

Due to the shortage of classrooms, a Year One class of about 30 students now use benches and tables in the school’s canteen as a classroom and two chairs to prop up the white board.

Malaysiakini has come to learn that some of the classrooms now used tables and chairs rented out by a tent supplier for RM300 per month.

“We had earlier requested for an additional three-storey building from the Public Works Department (JKR),” said PTA chairperson S Selvam.

Not even a proper library

“However, Samy Vellu said that it would be difficult to get funds for a whole building. Instead, he suggested that we apply for 10 classrooms first,” said Selvam.

According to Selvam, the MIC bigwig had promised to discuss the matter with the government, but could not affirm a deadline as to when he would come through with the school’s needs.

Classrooms aside, the school also lacks basic learning facilities such as an equipped and hazard-free science laboratory, sports equipment, and even a proper library.

“The science lab does not have a sink...what are students going to do if they accidentally spill the chemicals on themselves? Where are they going to wash off the chemicals?” asked V Nedumaran, a former pupil of the school.

“Plus, this school does not even have a single fire extinguisher,” he exclaimed.

The school, which was once located at the former Vallambrosa Estate, was relocated eight years ago to near the township of Taman Sungai Kapar Indah.

“When it was first moved, there were only 130 children. Therefore, the school only needed a single-storey structure...but now the number of students has expanded to more than 500,” said Selvam.

Selvam also raised concerns on the cleanliness of the school’s environment.

Lack of government funding

“The drains are clogged, because there is no one to clean it. What if mosquitoes start breeding, won’t the children be affected? ”

On Mar 6 last year, a promise was made to the school by JKR to provide a sum of RM1.8 million for the construction of a four-storey building.

The government, however, reversed the decision and instead, offered RM100,000 for repair and upgrading work.

According to a letter sent by JKR corporate communications department’s assistant director Ramli Ishak to the school, the allocation for the four-storey building was denied because of the lack of government funding.

In the letter, 22 school projects in Selangor were allocated RM2 million and 12 schools were identified for refurbishment.

Therefore, the JKR committee had decided to downsize the project to only maintenance and upgrading work.

“As of now, the repair and upgrading is moving smoothly and almost 80 percent completed,” stated Ramli.

Kapar parliamentarian S Manikavasagam told Malaysiakini that the RM1.8 million allocation was made before the general election.

Nevertheless, the repair work would not have cost more than RM30,000 as only classroom doors, damaged roofs, and toilet bowls were replaced, said Manikavasagam.

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