School in Cyberjaya creates history

CYBERJAYA: The first Chinese primary school has opened in Cyberjaya after the Education Ministry moved low-enrolment school SJK(C) Union from Taiping, Perak.

Deputy Education Minister Datuk Chong Sin Woon said the opening of SJK(C) Union here has come at the right time, and described it as “a historic moment”.

“This brings the number of Chinese primary schools in Selangor to 114,” he said when launching the school yesterday.

He added that families residing nearby now have a more convenient option.

Chong thanked MCT Consortium Bhd co-founder and chairman Tan Sri Barry Goh for donating 2.4ha of land as the site for the school.

Headmistress Lim Hong Lee said the new school, which currently has 55 pupils and seven teachers, has 32 classrooms, a multipurpose hall, library, an auditorium, computer and science labs, as well as basketball and sepak takraw courts.

Chong said there would be no interruption to classes for pupils who are just starting school here after transferring from their former schools.

“More classes will be opened and more teachers will be recruited when the enrolment increases,” he said, adding that the school is able to accommodate between 800 and 1,000 pupils.

A parent, who wanted to be known only as Eng, said SJK(C) Union has the potential to become a popular school.

His daughter, Qian, is now in Year Two.

“This is my daughter’s first exposure to the Malaysian education system,” said Eng, who just returned to Malaysia with his family after obtaining his doctorate from Britain, where they lived for the last four years.

“She was excited to come to school and it looks like she is enjoying it.”

The medical physicist, who took leave to accompany his daughter to school, said SJK(C) Union’s location is convenient for families living in the vicinity.

Another parent, who gave his name as Jaysings, said he was pleased to learn that the school enrolment comprised more than 30% non-Chinese pupils.

“It is good that many non-Chinese parents are opting to send their children to Chinese schools. Being in a school that is multiracial, children will be exposed to different cultures, allowing them to understand and learn from each other,” he said.

His son Gurnikhil Singh, a Year Two pupil, transferred from SJK(C) Kheng Chee, Puchong.