GEORGE TOWN, JUNE 15 -- The Ministry of Education (KPM) has given an assurance that no Chinese national-type schools (SJKC) or Tamil national-type schools (SJKT) will be closed under the administration of the Civil Government. Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh said the stance reflected the government's commitment to ensuring that all school streams continue to be maintained as part of the national education system. He said the government understood the concerns often expressed by the community, especially the Chinese and Indian communities, regarding the future of vernacular schools, including the issue of student shortages and challenges related to school sites. "Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek has repeatedly, both in Parliament and outside Parliament, stressed that vernacular schools are an important part of our education system. "The Madani Government's commitment is to guarantee that no school, whether SJKC or SJKT, will be closed. We will maintain all existing schools," he said at the Handing Over of Approval Letter for the Construction of the New SJKT Rajaji Building, here, today, which was also attended by the Chairman of the Penang Tamil Schools Special Committee, Datuk Seri S Sundarajoo. Kah Woh said that previously there had been various concerns regarding the possibility of certain schools being closed or merged, in addition to the position of vernacular schools which was often questioned by certain parties. Therefore, he said the government's guarantee is hoped to give confidence to school governing boards (LPS), educators and local communities to continue to focus on the development of their respective schools. He stressed that the Ministry of Education will continue to pay attention to the development of all school streams in the country in line with the government's aspirations to ensure that access to quality education can be enjoyed by every student regardless of background. Meanwhile, he said the increase in maintenance allocation from RM20 million to RM50 million for SJKT announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim last January was part of efforts to strengthen education infrastructure nationwide, in addition to ensuring that basic school facilities were in a safe, conducive and suitable condition for the teaching and learning process. Apart from that, he said, it also reflects the Madani Government's concern for the current needs of vernacular schools, especially those facing issues with building maintenance and basic facilities, with distribution being made in a more structured manner based on the actual needs of each school. In a related development, Kah Woh said 22 SJKTs with government-aided school status in Penang will receive funds totaling RM1.156 million for the purchase and replacement of furniture through allocations from the Malaysian Indian Community Transformation Unit (MITRA) under the Ministry of Human Resources (KESUMA). He said the implementation of the furniture supply would be carried out within one to two months after the process of matching school needs was completed with the school administration in the state involved. -- BERNAMA

MOE guarantees SJKT, SJKC will not be closed under the Civilian Government

GEORGE TOWN, JUNE 15 — The Ministry of Education (KPM) has given an assurance that no Chinese national-type schools (SJKC) or Tamil national-type schools (SJKT) will be closed under the administration of the Civil Government.

Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh said the stance reflected the government’s commitment to ensuring that all school streams continue to be maintained as part of the national education system.

He said the government understood the concerns often expressed by the community, especially the Chinese and Indian communities, regarding the future of vernacular schools, including the issue of student shortages and challenges related to school sites.

“Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek has repeatedly, both in Parliament and outside Parliament, stressed that vernacular schools are an important part of our education system.

“The Madani Government’s commitment is to guarantee that no school, whether SJKC or SJKT, will be closed. We will maintain all existing schools,” he said at the Handing Over of Approval Letter for the Construction of the New SJKT Rajaji Building, here, today, which was also attended by the Chairman of the Penang Tamil Schools Special Committee, Datuk Seri S Sundarajoo.

Kah Woh said that previously there had been various concerns regarding the possibility of certain schools being closed or merged, in addition to the position of vernacular schools which was often questioned by certain parties.

Therefore, he said the government’s guarantee is hoped to give confidence to school governing boards (LPS), educators and local communities to continue to focus on the development of their respective schools.

He stressed that the Ministry of Education will continue to pay attention to the development of all school streams in the country in line with the government’s aspirations to ensure that access to quality education can be enjoyed by every student regardless of background.

Meanwhile, he said the increase in maintenance allocation from RM20 million to RM50 million for SJKT announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim last January was part of efforts to strengthen education infrastructure nationwide, in addition to ensuring that basic school facilities were in a safe, conducive and suitable condition for the teaching and learning process.

Apart from that, he said, it also reflects the Madani Government’s concern for the current needs of vernacular schools, especially those facing issues with building maintenance and basic facilities, with distribution being made in a more structured manner based on the actual needs of each school.

In a related development, Kah Woh said 22 SJKTs with government-aided school status in Penang will receive funds totaling RM1.156 million for the purchase and replacement of furniture through allocations from the Malaysian Indian Community Transformation Unit (MITRA) under the Ministry of Human Resources (KESUMA).

He said the implementation of the furniture supply would be carried out within one to two months after the process of matching school needs was completed with the school administration in the state involved.

— BERNAMA

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