A SCHOOL in Puncak Alam, Selangor, is set to have a first-of-its-kind feature for a primary school in Asia.
SJKC Eco Grandeur will have a continuous ramp system that connects all four floors to provide step-free access throughout the building.
The system is designed to support pupils, educators and visitors with different mobility needs.
The inclusive design has been recognised by the Asean Book of Records and the Asia Book of Records as the “first primary school with a continuous ramp system designed to provide uninterrupted step-free access to all four storeys”.
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said all students deserve the best learning environment, and school facilities have to be up to par, safe and conducive.
“It doesn’t matter what school it is; the aspiration and desire is to provide the best for our children,” she said during the groundbreaking ceremony for SJKC Eco Grandeur on Aug 5.
A conducive learning environment, she added, is one of the core elements of the new school curriculum, which will begin next year.
Fadhlina noted that the Education Ministry is consistently increasing the number of schools approved for construction every year to meet the needs of Malaysians, especially with the first cohort of six-year-olds set to enter Year One next year.
Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh, who was also present at the ceremony, said that so far in 2026, 38 new schools have been approved.
Another 44 were approved last year and 26 in 2024, he added.
Wong said SJKC Eco Grandeur is being built by developer Eco World before being handed over to the ministry.
Costing an estimated RM18mil, he said the school will likely open its doors in the second half of 2028.
“However, this depends on the progress of the work, whether it is going fast or a little slow due to weather constraints and so on, and we will take steps from time to time to monitor and review the overall progress,” he said.
Situated on a 2.7 ha site in Eco Grandeur, SJKC Eco Grandeur will have 24 primary classrooms and two preschool classrooms that can accommodate up to 960 pupils.
Other facilities include a multipurpose hall with two indoor badminton courts, a sheltered basketball court, a school field, outdoor spaces and a canteen.
Covered walkways and waiting areas, controlled access and a dedicated drop-off and traffic-flow system will contribute to a safer and more orderly environment for students, parents and educators.
There will also be a “library in the park”, which will provide an inviting space for reading, learning and interaction.
The school will also feature a rainwater harvesting system for landscape irrigation, natural ventilation and daylighting to reduce energy use, as well as provisions for the future installation of solar panels.
Eco World Foundation chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said every child, regardless of physical ability, should feel welcomed and supported at school.
“Every child has potential. What they need is the opportunity and the right environment to realise it,” he said during the ceremony.
Also present were Eco World Development Group Berhad president and chief executive officer Datuk Seri Chang Khim Wah, Selangor investment, trade and mobility exco member Ng Sze Han and Education Ministry Daily School Management Department director Hanafi Samad.
