Poor management: Islamic schools in shoplots

AUDIT REPORT Poor management has forced 24 Johor government-aided Islamic schools (SAKJ) to operate out of community halls, suraus and shoplots, while others remain in dilapidated buildings.

The Auditor-General's Report 2011 notes, for example, 3,000 students were forced to squeeze into a single shoplot in Kota Masai, Johor Bahru.

"The audit found that the schools are squatting in community halls and suraus as Education Ministry buildings can no longer cope with the number of students.

"Students in a school in Kota Masai go to school in an unconducive environment due to noise from a car workshop located near to the shoplot the school operates from," it reads, noting also several safety concerns.

Old and broken furniture 

The report says that the schools have to squat as no land is gazetted (diwakafkan) for the schools, while the RM10.47 million requested by the schools for repairs of existing buildings doubled that of the RM5.43 million allocated.

"From 2009 to date, no repairs have been done although applications have been made... by the SA (Sekolah Agama) Kampung Pasir Putih and SA Pekan Nanas.

"This situation has led to discomfort and safety concerns for students, teachers and (school) assets, and tarnishes the image of Islamic schools when compared to national schools," it reads.

The schools' basic infrastructure were also lacking, the furniture either broken or very old and teachers in short supply.

In response, the Johor Islamic Affairs Department said that the poor infrastructure was due to lack of funding to the extent that the department has had to seek funds from the Johor Islamic Council.

It added that the state did not allocate any funds to purchase or repair of school furniture in 2011.