School’s growth a success story

For the children’s future: (From left) SJK(C) Shin Cheng board of directors chairman Dr Kow Cheong Wei, Dr Wee, Lee and China Embassy consular affairs counsellor Gong Chun Sen at the ground-breaking ceremony of the new phase in Puchong.

PUCHONG: SJK(C) Shin Cheng (Harcroft) has come a long way since it was relocated from an estate near Ayer Tawar, Perak.

The school now has 1,816 pupils compared to just eight in 2004, and just one before it was relocated to its present site here in 2007, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.

Dr Wee attributed the school’s success to IOI Group executive chairman Tan Sri Lee Shin Cheng – whom he commended for generously contributing RM7.5mil to build the school and for donating a further RM20mil for its second phase.

The MCA deputy president, who attended the ground-breaking ceremony of the new phase, said it would include a hall, an administrative centre and more classrooms.

He pointed out that the hilly location of the school complicated the construction, but Lee managed to do it within 10 months in 2008.

“I think that was a record set by him then,” said Dr Wee, adding that the new phase is expected to be completed at the end of the year.

Lee, the life adviser to the school, said it was not only built quickly but the workmanship was also “first class and superior”.

“You can take a look. It has already been seven years and there are no cracks,” he said.