Latest news with #PublicWorksMinistry
Jordan News
27-05-2025
- Automotive
- Jordan News
Public Works Ministry Begins Implementation of 3 Vital Road Maintenance Projects in Zarqa - Jordan News
Public Works Ministry Begins Implementation of 3 Vital Road Maintenance Projects in Zarqa The Ministry of Public Works and Housing, through the Zarqa Directorate of Public Works, has begun work on three new road projects in the governorate. These initiatives are part of the ministry's ongoing efforts to improve infrastructure and enhance traffic safety, responding to public demands. اضافة اعلان Zarqa-Mafraq Highway Project (6 km) The ministry has started maintenance work on a section of the main road linking Zarqa and Mafraq, beginning from the Military College Bridge and Zarqa University, covering a distance of 6 kilometers. The work includes removing the old asphalt layer, conducting patch repairs, and repaving the road with a 5 cm thick asphalt mix. Additionally, reflectors and hot thermoplastic road markings will be installed to enhance traffic safety. With a budget of approximately 500,000 Jordanian dinars allocated by the Zarqa Governorate Council (Decentralization Program), the project is expected to be completed within 20 days. Maintenance of Hashimiyah-Khaw Road (1.3 km) The ministry has also started work on the Hashimiyah-Khaw Road, stretching 1.3 kilometers near Prince Mohammad City for Youth, toward the Vocational Training traffic signal. The project involves milling the old asphalt and repaving it with a 5 cm layer, along with installing traffic signs and hot road markings. The project cost is estimated at 100,000 dinars and is expected to be completed in the coming days. Renovation of Bireen–Al-Alouk Road (3.5 km) Three days ago, the ministry began maintenance of the secondary Bireen–Al-Alouk Road at a cost of 200,000 dinars. The project includes repaving the 3.5-kilometer road and installing traffic safety elements. Completion is expected by the end of next week. These projects aim to improve road quality and facilitate smoother traffic flow, with a particular focus on safety enhancements to reduce accidents. This step is part of the ministry's continuous efforts to develop road networks across the governorates in cooperation with local councils. It is worth noting that Zarqa Governorate experiences heavy traffic due to its strategic location, necessitating regular road maintenance to ensure the safety of road users.
The Star
25-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Hasty school launch under scrutiny
The government is moving at full speed to prepare for the launch of President Prabowo Subianto 's flagship education initiative, Sekolah Rakyat (community school), which aims to provide free boarding school education to underprivileged children from elementary to secondary levels. With the programme scheduled to open in July, just months after its announcement, the focus has been on renovating state-owned buildings as well as recruiting teachers and support staff to meet the tight timeline. However, as the Public Works Ministry scrambles to retrofit dozens of facilities and the Social Affairs Ministry accelerates staffing efforts, critics warn that the programme's foundation remains shaky, with key questions about planning, quality and inclusivity left unanswered. Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf says the new schools for the programme will provide facilities on a par with top-tier institutions without tests on academic performance or IQ, which often restrict access to quality education. 'The only requirement to enter a Sekolah Rakyat is that the children come from poor families and have a willingness to learn,' Saifullah said on Wednesday on the ministry's website. But many are skeptical that the government's timeline allows for the delivery of meaningful quality education or a thorough assessment of students' needs. The Public Works Ministry began 65 renovation projects in early May, followed by another 35 scheduled projects, which aim to convert buildings managed by the Social Affairs Ministry or the local government into school facilities. But the renovation drive sparked a public backlash last week after it displaced visually impaired students from a century-old special needs school to make way for the programme. The school is located in a rehabilitation centre run by the Social Affairs Ministry in Bandung, West Java, part of which is being converted into a community school. In response to the criticism, the government has pledged to return the students to the former school once renovations are complete. Meanwhile, an online recruitment has been launched to select principals from a pool of 160. The new programme would use a three-stage curriculum framework geared toward developing the unique talents of students. The first stage begins in June, when students arrive, and is designed to evaluate their physical fitness and health, as well as academic abilities. The second stage begins when the school year starts in July, with all students following the national curriculum. The third stage runs concurrently with a special curriculum for evening classes which focuses on character development, religious and civic values, digital literacy and essential life skills. — The Jakarta Post/ANN
The Star
24-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Indonesian government races against time to launch Sekolah Rakyat aimed at providing free education for underprivileged children
JAKARTA (Jakarta Post/ANN): The government is moving at full speed to prepare for the launch of President Prabowo Subianto 's flagship education initiative, Sekolah Rakyat (community school), which aims to provide free boarding school education to underprivileged children from elementary to secondary levels. With the program scheduled to open in July, just months after its announcement, the focus has been on renovating state-owned buildings as well as recruiting teachers and support staff to meet the tight timeline. However, as the Public Works Ministry scrambles to retrofit dozens of facilities and the Social Affairs Ministry accelerates staffing efforts, critics warn that the program's foundation remains shaky, with key questions about planning, quality and inclusivity left unanswered. Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf says the new schools for the program will provide facilities on a par with top-tier institutions without tests on academic performance or IQ, which often restrict access to quality education. 'The only requirement to enter a Sekolah Rakyat is that the children come from poor families and have a willingness to learn,' Saifullah said on Wednesday in a statement on the ministry's website. But many are skeptical that the government's timeline allows for the delivery of meaningful quality education or a thorough assessment of students' needs. The Public Works Ministry began 65 renovation projects in early May, followed by another 35 scheduled projects, which aim to convert buildings managed by the Social Affairs Ministry or the local government into Sekolah Rakyat facilities. But the renovation drive sparked a public backlash last week after it displaced visually impaired students from a century-old special needs school to make way for the programme. The school is located in a rehabilitation center run by the Social Affairs Ministry in Bandung, West Java, part of which is being converted into a community school. In response to the criticism, the government has pledged to return the students to their former school once renovations are complete, adding that part of the new facility will be dedicated to accommodating visually impaired students. Meanwhile, the ministry has launched an online recruitment interview to select principals from a pool of 160. Successful candidates will then join a training program provided by the ministry, followed by an internship at existing schools that share the values of the Sekolah Rakyat programme. The online recruitment, managed in collaboration with the Elementary and Secondary Education Ministry, will then proceed with the selection of dormitory supervisors, wardens and teachers. Schools minister Abdul Mu'ti said on Wednesday that teachers would be selected from those currently working at schools rather than new graduates, Antara reported. The final quota for Sekolah Rakyat staff would depend on the number of schools ready to open by July, he added. Mohammad Nuh, who chairs the Sekolah Rakyat Formation Team, told The Jakarta Post on Thursday that the new program would use a three-stage curriculum framework geared toward developing the unique talents of each student. The first stage begins in June, when students arrive at the boarding schools, and is designed to evaluate their physical fitness and health, as well as academic abilities. The second stage begins when the school year starts in July, with all students following the national curriculum. The third stage runs concurrently with a special curriculum for evening classes developed by the Social Affairs Ministry, which focuses on character development, religious and civic values, digital literacy and essential life skills. 'The main point is talent mapping, as we want to develop each student's unique talents,' Nuh said. Fikri Muslim, an education expert with the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), criticized Sekolah Rakyat as a hastily executed program with a political bent. 'The only real urgency seems to be fulfilling President Prabowo's campaign promise,' Fikri said on Thursday. He also questioned the use of repurposed buildings located far from the low-income communities they aimed to serve and chastised the recruitment scheme as poaching teachers from areas already struggling with shortages. Itje Chodidjah from the nonprofit Center for Education and Policy Studies (PSPK) warned the program risked doing more harm than good by isolating disadvantaged children in boarding schools disconnected from their families and communities. 'A big hindrance to their development is that they [will] feel mentally insecure outside their immediate family and community,' Itje said on Thursday. 'Sequestering dozens of [students] into a single compound could make them feel even more isolated.' She urged the government to address the psychosocial needs of disadvantaged children, not just focus on their intellectual and physical development. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
New Straits Times
13-05-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Loke: New measures to safeguard wildlife, road users on East–West Highway
PUTRAJAYA: The Transport Ministry will collaborate closely with the Public Works Ministry and the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) to enhance safety measures on the East–West Highway, following a tragic accident in which a lorry fatally struck an elephant two days ago. Minister Anthony Loke said that the incident, which has garnered widespread public attention, highlighted the urgent need to better protect areas frequently used by wildlife. "Among the measures under consideration are improved lighting and the construction of wildlife crossings to reduce the risk of such incidents in the future. This was a heartbreaking accident, and we are all deeply saddened by it," he said at a press conference following the Cabinet Committee meeting on Road Safety and Traffic Congestion. Also present at the meeting were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Hasbi Habibollah. Loke said that proactive steps were being taken by the ministry to reassess road and railway routes identified as high-risk areas for both wildlife and humans. He said that the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project already included mitigation features such as dedicated wildlife tracks, crossings, and tunnels beneath the railway lines to facilitate safe animal passage. "We will also explore incorporating similar features along the Gemas–Johor Baru rail line, as there have been previous incidents of elephants crossing the tracks in that area. These efforts are critical, as high-speed trains pose serious dangers to wildlife, and collisions can result in severe consequences for both animals and people," he added. On May 11, a male elephant calf was struck and killed by a lorry early in the morning while travelling along Jalan Gerik-Jeli, also known as the East–West Highway. The mother elephant remained at the scene, refusing to leave her calf until she was sedated and relocated.
