SJK(C) Regent Elmina in Shah Alam, Selangor, is the new site for the 60-year-old SJK(C) Ladang Regent in Gemencheh, Negri Sembilan.
The community, said Fadhlina Sidek, had been waiting for the construction of the new school, which is expected to be completed in March 2025 with pupil intake starting in 2026.
Speaking after the inauguration ceremony for the construction on June 26, the Education Minister said it was hoped that the new school would be a choice for the community as SJK(C) Ladang Regent had experienced a lack of teachers and students.
“The school will comprise a total of 36 classes, including those for special needs pupils, and a hall the size of three badminton courts. These are some of the facilities that will be available and we hope it will be ready in time.
“The construction of this school complex not only brings us closer to the community, but is also a big commitment to the education ecosystem.
“The entire community is involved in ensuring that this institution is for the common good,” she told reporters, adding that the ministry will help to monitor the development process of the school.
The first school to be developed within the Elmina Education Hub in the City of Elmina, SJK(C) Regent Elmina will be built upon a 2ha (five-acre) piece of land worth RM20mil.
During the launch, SJK(C) Regent Elmina construction committee chairman Datuk Ching Eu Boon said pupils at SJK(C) Ladang Regent numbered only 10, comprising two Malay, three Chinese, and five Indian pupils, with seven teachers.
“As of now, there are only three classes to accommodate all these students in Negri Sembilan.
“By relocating the school here, we aim to help increase the number of pupil enrolments in the future,” he said.
When asked the transfer of students from schools with low student population, Fadhlina said the ministry had taken follow-up action.
“This includes school mergers and dispersals if necessary, depending on the needs of the schools.
“So, there is no issue of difficulty and it can be monitored by the ministry itself,” she said.
Also present at the inauguration ceremony was Selangor Mentri Besar representative Datuk Teng Chang Khim, who urged the ministry to give mandatory permits for vernacular schools to be built where there is a need.
“The ministry needs to review the policy where if there is a site that needs a school to be built, there’s no need to seek approval. If there’s a need for the school to be built, mandatory permits should be given,” he said.
