CHESSED OFF: Screenshot of the Facebook group initiated by an irate parent

KUALA LUMPUR: Would you pay RM250 for a flower? Probably not, but nothing stopped the Education Ministry from doing so.

The 2008 Auditor-General's report revealed that the ministry had paid RM250 for each of the six Peacock flowers (Caesalpinia Pulcherrima) for SK Bukit Jawa 2 in Pasir Puteh, Kelantan, when the market price for the plant is just RM30!

The report also noted that the ministry had spent a whopping RM57,493 for the supply, sowing, gardening and maintenance of flowers and trees for the same school — 880 per cent higher than the most expensive quote available from local nurseries in 2008.

The Malay Mail learnt that in the report, signed by Auditor-General Tan Sri Ambrin Buang, the ministry had also replaced doors at SMK Mahsuri in Langkawi and SMK Seri Gunong in Alor Star, both in Kedah, at prices 56 per cent to 64 per cent higher than the prices quoted by the Works Ministry.

The Education Ministry paid RM480 for a door in SMK Mahsuri when it was quoted at RM272.70 by the Works Ministry.

SK Gunong’s field had also undergone upgrading works worth RM18,860 but the report revealed that the field was bumpy, filled with stones and becomes muddy when it rains.

The anomaly brings to mind the millions spent by the Education Ministry to resurface its hockey turf in Pantai since 2004. It is now being resurfaced yet again as its deplorable condition had made the turf unplayable.

The Auditor-General's revelations have infuriated teachers, parents and students alike, especially in the wake of the ministry's decision to axe 11 sports — bowling, squash, archery, table tennis, rugby, cricket, sailing, softball, handball, cross country and chess – from the national level calendar this year due to the lack of funds.

The Malay Mail had recently reported that the State Schools Sports Councils (MSSM) had also decided against hosting the 11 sports at the zone and district levels unless the technical officers of the respective sports were able to find sponsors — despite the assurance from Sports, Arts and Co-curriculum Department director Jame@ Maikal Alip that “ State level programmes remain the same”.

Some teachers had said that they would be forced to send students on a donation drive to raise funds. The austerity drive by the ministry had also seen teachers no longer eligible to claim travelling expenses.

This has led to an irate parent initiating a "Save Malaysian Schools’ Sports and Malaysian Sports Future" group on Facebook. The account, set up earlier this week, had 102 members at Press time.

A posting by the administrator reads: “If we can hit 500,000 members in this group by end of February, literally we would be sending signals to the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Youth and Sports that they have failed their KPI.

Isn’t KPI what our Prime Minister wants?

"If we manage to hit one million members by end of February 2010, these people better empty their tables and leave the Ministry. You have been voted out of your job, by the people!

"It’s the students who suffer. This goes against the Education philosophy of developing intellectually, spiritually, motionally and physically balanced individuals,” said a teacher who declined to be named.

“Someone is making big money.”

Ironically, RM5.5 million has been allocated for hosting the Asean Schools Championships in Kuala Lumpur on July 12-21.