Ipoh: Schools should apply for maintenance funds to repair building infrastructure and ensure student safety, said Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Wong addressed a viral incident on social media involving a student who sustained a hand injury after being pierced by a rusty handrail on a staircase at a primary school in Ulu Kinta, Ipoh, recently. He emphasized the importance of utilizing the allocated funds for school maintenance to prevent such occurrences.

"The Education Ministry (MOE) allocates between RM900 million and RM1 billion annually for the maintenance of schools and has issued notices to all government and government-aided schools to apply for maintenance funds. For government-aided schools, there is a designated application period each year, whereas, for government schools, applications can be submitted into the system year-round," Wong stated after opening the Perak level TS 2025 Calligraphy Art Competition at Sentral Mall Taiping today.

Wong highlighted the significance of addressing maintenance issues and urged District Education Offices (PPD) and State Education Departments (JPN) to prioritize them. Despite the incident's virality, the ministry has not yet received formal reports and is set to investigate the matter further.

The incident came to light through a social media post where a woman claimed her child was injured by a rusty railing. The child's treatment at a private hospital reportedly cost nearly RM10,000 after immediate care was unavailable at a government facility.

Recently, Perak Education, Higher Education, Youth, and Sports Committee chairman, Khairuddin Abu Hanipah, called on the state JPN to prepare a report on the incident. He emphasized the need to take this case seriously, given its implications on student safety, stressing that school management must report any dangerous damages.