More than 300 primary school pupils registered at the SK Assumption in Butterworth have been forced to share classrooms in a neighbouring school for the past 10 years.

Administrated by a church, the school was demolished in 1997 to make way for two blocks of the Harbour View apartments.

It is learnt that, under the deal between the church and developer, the latter had agreed to rebuild the school at a new site in Jalan Bagan Dalam, about 500m from the Butterworth ferry terminal.

The site, situated below an elevated stretch of the 12.1km Butterworth Outer Ring Road, was acquired for about RM1.5 million only in 2003.

The privately funded RM1.6 million school project started in May 2004, with completion scheduled for April 2005.

Early last month, architect Ooi Weng Hap wrote a letter to the Parents Teachers Association office-bearers, stating that the building had been completed.

While a site visit verified that the building was ready, the same could not be said about the access road, parking lots, water tanks, toilets, sewage treatment plant, electricity and water supply and perimeter fencing.

A spokesman for the developers said the contractor would complete the remaining work by the middle of the year.

"We have not installed the basic amenities for fear of theft. We will do so once the education department is ready to take over the school," said the spokesman.

' Think of the children'

Parents, who have continued to register their children at the school, are upset that their children have had to make use of facilities at SK Sungai Nyior, which also has about 300 pupils, since 1997.

A spokesman for the disgruntled parents, Shahbudin Mat, said parents registered their children because they thought the school would be rebuilt by 2005. It is now two years behind schedule.

"It's a pity that children have to study under such conditions. The developer should understand our plight and resolve the problem soon," he said.

An ex-student, lawyer Paul Raj, said the developer should expedite completion of the school so that the children's education is not jeopardised.

He said the 10-year delay has disrupted two 'generations' of pupils.

"Those who enrolled in Year One in 1997 are already in secondary school, and yet the school building is not ready," he said.

Penang executive councillor in charge of health, welfare and caring society PK Subbaiyah, also the Bagan Dalam state assemblyperson, told parents at a recent meeting that he would meet the developer to resolve the problem.

"The matter was brought to my attention only recently. I will meet the developer to explore ways and means to get the building ready soon. This is an urgent matter regarding children's education," he said.