Sabah: The National Unity Ministry has allocated RM5 million for urgent repair works at all Unity Kindergartens nationwide, as announced by its secretary-general, Datuk Ruji Ubi. The funds are intended to address pressing issues such as leaky roofs, ceilings, and plumbing problems in the 1,781 kindergartens across the country, with 142 located in Sabah.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Datuk Ruji Ubi highlighted that 34 of the kindergartens in Sabah require immediate repairs, which are estimated to cost over RM2 million. These figures were provided by the Sabah National Unity and Integration Department (JPNIN). The repair works are considered straightforward due to the simple structures of the buildings compared to other educational facilities.

Datuk Ruji Ubi mentioned his request for RM5 million out of the RM10 million allocated for repairs under Budget 2025 to be expedited for kindergartens needing urgent attention. He added that he would seek additional funds if necessary to ensure all required repairs are fully addressed.

In addition to the repair efforts, Datuk Ruji emphasized the need to reinforce the mastering of 3R (reading, writing, and arithmetic) skills among Unity Kindergarten pupils. This initiative aims to prevent proficiency issues when pupils transition to primary school. Last year, approximately 122,000 Standard 1 pupils were found to lack these essential skills. To tackle this, Datuk Ruji plans to visit kindergartens to evaluate teaching methods, teacher competencies, and learning resources.

During the event, Ruji distributed Rahmah food baskets to 30 recipients and supervised the preparation of 700 packs of bubur lambuk and bubur kacang. He also led a goodwill visit to various places of worship, including mosques, temples, churches, and shrines, to promote community engagement and distribute the food packs.