‘Conforming schools need funds’

Chat on the side: (From left) SUPP deputy secretary-general Sih Hua Tong, Gerakan vicepresident Datuk Dr Dominic Lau and Dr Wee talking during a press conference at Wisma MCA in Kuala Lumpur.

KUALA LUMPUR: MCA is seeking a government allocation for conforming schools after they were left out in Budget 2017.

MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was aware of the situation and had instructed the Education Ministry and the relevant departments to look into it.

“We have discussed this in the Cabinet and the relevant parties will find a solution,” he said.

Dr Wee was speaking to reporters after chairing the Malaysian Chinese Education Consultative Council meeting at Wisma MCA here ahead of the party’s annual general assembly this weekend.

Conforming schools were formerly missionary or Chinese secondary schools that have been converted into national type schools with Chinese language as a compulsory subject for the students.

They were given allocation in the national budget in the past two years, but not in the recently announced Budget 2017.

They were allocated RM25mil in Budget 2015, and shared an allocation of RM500mil in Budget 2016 together with other types of schools, including national schools, national-type Chinese and Tamil schools, religious schools and fully residential schools.

Also at the meeting yesterday were representatives from Gerakan, Sarawak United Peoples’ Party, Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party, Liberal Democratic Party, and nine stakeholders in Chinese education, including United School Committees Association of Malaysia and United Chinese School Teachers’ Association.

Dr Wee said the three hour-long meeting touched on a third campus for Foon Yew High School in Johor Baru and the successfully-held Unified Examination Certificate examination at SM Chong Hwa in Kuantan.

The other issues discussed included heavy school bags, development of Chinese primary schools, supply of teachers and an action plan to raise the standard of educators.

“Some schoolchildren have as many as 26 workbooks in their school bags, which is also a heavy (financial) burden for parents.

“There needs to be a reform on this,” Dr Wee said.

He said a working paper on the overall development of Chinese primary schools, a topic close to the heart of the Chinese community, would be prepared.

“While we can apply for new schools, there are under-enrolled schools that risk being closed down. There are 13 schools with fewer than 10 students.

“We have to find the best strategy for this. Schools that are under-enrolled have to be relocated if need be,” he said.