Kuala lumpur: The redevelopment of dilapidated school buildings nationwide can now be expedited through the use of the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) approach introduced by the Public Sector Reform Task Force (STAR), the Dewan Rakyat was told today. Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh announced this initiative and highlighted its potential impact during a session in the Dewan Rakyat.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the effort is further strengthened by improvements to procedures under the ''Inisiatif Bitara MADANI'', tailored to the project conditions at each location and the specific needs of individual schools. The implementation period for dilapidated building projects has been shortened, particularly in the pre-construction phase, with improvements to the tender procurement process and the coordination of land matters through Section 20A of the Town and Country Planning Act.
Wong shared that the procedural transformation includes updating the demolition recommendation method by reducing the process duration from 147 days to 47 days, delegating NOC (notice of change) authority to the secretary-general of the ministry, and facilitating land matters via Section 20A of the Town and Country Planning Act. Improvement efforts are ongoing, with periodic monitoring through the ministry's Development Action Committee and the Ministry Development Action Meeting to ensure smooth project progression.
He was responding to a supplementary question from Young Syefura Othman (PH-Bentong) on whether STAR's PDCA mechanism would be expanded to accelerate the rebuilding of dilapidated school structures. Wong also mentioned that the allocation for the reconstruction of dilapidated schools nationwide this year amounts to RM1.61 billion, the highest in the past decade, reflecting the Education Ministry's commitment to resolving the issue.
For schools in Kedah, Wong noted that the government has approved more than 80 redevelopment projects from 2016 to November 2025, involving a total cost of RM671.81 million, with 50 projects completed, 16 under construction, and 21 in the pre-construction stage. Additionally, under the 13th Malaysia Plan 2026 Rolling Plan 1 (RP1), 12 new projects worth RM175.05 million have been approved.
Wong added that, as of September 30, a total of 60 schools in Kedah remain in Scale 7, indicating they still have dilapidated buildings. He was addressing the original question from Ahmad Tarmizi Sulaiman (PN-Sik) regarding the number of schools in Kedah yet to be repaired and the ministry's timeline to ensure all schools achieve complete infrastructure by 2030.