Learning centre no proper facility

Kota Kinabalu, July 30, 2011 : A learning institute here been taken to task for allegedly failing to live up to its promise to provide proper housing facility to its student.

Parent of a student recently enrolled for a course at the institute, Dr Forest Kang Kee Yeow and his wife Judy Chai, said they were aghast when they saw the living condition rendered to the student.

Dr Kang, Who was met at the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) office with the party's Wanita Chief, Melanie Chia, Said that student studying at the centre were made to live in either a two room or a three room apartment lot, and as many as 10 student were made to squeeze at each of tiny apartment lots.

He claimed the student were made to sleep on bunk beds, with hardly a space in between to allow the student safe passage just in case of fire, while some were made to sleep on floor.

"The condition is really congested and not suitable for living, As a medical doctor, I can safely say that this is one of the easiest ways to transmit infectious diseases as the student do not have any spaces in between them," he said.

At some apartment lots, he said 10 student were made to bunk in a lot and they shared one toilet.

All the student have to pay RM250 for the lodging each month and the institute disallow any of its student to find their own lodging elsewhere.

" I decided not to let my daughter stay at the hostel and want the institute to live up to its promise. It is very sinful what they putting the student through they have breached their own term", he said.

Dr Kang also alleged that the institute does not have a syllabus in place for the course his daughter taking.
Her class, he said is scheduled to begin next week.

He added that he plan to approach the Ministry of Higher Education for the institute's alleged failure to provide what he consider as the very basic amenities to its students.

He also plans to lodge a complaint with the Fire and Rescue Department here for the alleged unsafe setting of the student apartment.

Dr Kang also told press member that he had met with the principal of the institute to talk about the issue but was unsatisfied with her response.

"Her response was the services were outsourced, hence signifying that they were not responsible".

Meanwhile Chia said that the institute had to fulfill the criteria fit of such an establishment and there were a set of guidelines already set by the government for them.

By Jenne Lajiun (BP)