KUALA LUMPUR: Education Minister, Dr. Maszlee Malik has instructed the Federal Territories State Education Department to submit a full report on the problems regarding training and accommodation facilities at one of the state’s sports schools, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Seri Titiwangsa.
In fact, he has promised to make a visit to the school to get a better picture of what is really going on to ensure that the problems plaguing the school can be addressed and resolved as soon as possible for the sake of the students.
"I myself will get in touch with the state education department to get a detailed report on the problems faced by the school and its students and if I can make time, then I will pay a visit to the school as well.
"However I am hoping that private companies such as Yonnex, Al-Ikhsan and 100Plus can provide some form of contribution or assistance to ensure that the development of sports at grassroots level can continue uninterrupted,” he said.
He said as much during the closing ceremony for the national language month at the Bahasa Malaysia Teachers Training College campus here earlier today (Tuesday).
Dr. Maszlee was speaking on an exclusive report by NSTP Sport which revealed that training and accommodation facilities at the school was in poor shape and bad condition.
While sports schools in other states have mini stadiums, training halls and buses, SMK Seri Titiwangsa does not have any such facilities, so much so they have been labelled as not being a real sports school.
In fact, parents have claimed that the facilities at regular schools are better, apart from ruing the fact that they have had to take leave in order to send their children for training at the Permaisuri Mini Stadium which is located about 15 kilometers away from the school.
The students’ dormitories are currently being housed at the old Federal Territories Sports Department building where beds and lockers are said to be dilapidated with windows and drainage said to be in a sad state of affairs as well.
When asked if the education ministry will set up a special committee to carry out an audit of basic facilities at all the sports schools, Dr. Maszlee said that it all depends on the report that will be submitted by the Federal Territories State Education Department.
"We will wait for the full report from the state education department first, so please do not speculate on the matter,” said Dr. Maszlee.