MOE moves to improve education access in Kg Serudung Laut

The Education Ministry has launched a special initiative, ProKhas, in Kampung Serudung Laut in Kalabakan, to provide children in this remote village with access to education.

Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the programme is part of efforts to ensure no child is left behind, especially in rural areas like Kampung Serudung Laut, which is about two hours by boat from Tawau.

“The ministry identified a group of children here who lack formal education. After discussions with parents and the local community, we assured them the issue would be addressed.

“Through ProKhas, classrooms and teaching staff will be provided, along with essential schooling support,” she said.

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Fadhlina said this during a two-day working visit under the Parliamentary Follow-up Programme, accompanied by Education director-general Azman Adnan, Sabah Education director Raisin Saidin, and Kalabakan MP Andi Suryady Bandy.

During the visit, Fadhlina inspected an informal classroom set up by the Social Welfare Department, which serves five children with one teacher.

She explained that ProKhas aims to assess and support children’s learning needs, particularly those who have had limited or no access to education.

“I’m truly heartened to see an opportunity to improve access to education here. The ministry guarantees that no child will be excluded,” she said.

The District Education Office and the Sabah Education Department will oversee the implementation of ProKhas, with the ministry monitoring progress to ensure the children receive proper education.

Gratitude to govt

Kampung Serudung village chief Ronny Akai shared that the informal class has been operating for about a month in the village church under the welfare department’s early childhood development programme.

He said the church, built in 1988, once hosted a mission school run by the Tawau Baptist Church from 1989 until 2000, before it closed due to a shortage of volunteer teachers.

It later reopened from 2005 to 2021, with enrolment peaking at 40 students.

“However, by 2020, the number of pupils declined as families moved to Tawau in search of better educational opportunities for their children. For those who remained, learning continued informally through villagers who could read and write.

“Some children eventually sat for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) exam as private candidates,” he said.

Ronny expressed hope that the children in the village would be able to receive better education locally, saying that only education could ensure a brighter future.

He also thanked the minister, the ministry, and the government for their efforts.

Kampung Serudung Laut is home to 665 residents. Access to the village requires a sea journey of up to three hours or a four-hour drive from Tawau, depending on conditions.

- Bernama