SIBU: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has allocated 1 million for SRK St Mary's development project. He told the school about the allocation during his visit to the school late yesterday evening.

With the RM1 million, the school board has now collected RM1.7 million for the development project. Before this, RM200,000 was allocated in the stimulus package and recently Deputy Prime Minister allocated another RM500 000 for the project.

The school board and Rev Fr Paul Ling thanked the Prime Minister for his contribution to the school. The total cost for the school development project is estimated to be RM3 million with phase one estimated at RM2 million. The existing wooden buildings of the school is now very run-down dilapidated and congested besides being flood-prone.

The school is in urgent need of more classrooms and other facilities to provide a conducive learning environment for the pupils. Works to replace the physical infrastructure of the school actually started in September last year on a 1.1 acre site behind the existing school building.

The extension programme consists of a teaching block of 28 classrooms, a toilet block and a covered basketball court cum multipurpose hall. On the latest development of the project, the contractor so far has completed the first phase of piling.