PETALING JAYA: After a 25-year wait, a Tamil school near Kuantan, Pahang, may soon see new school buildings following Cabinet approval for fresh funding.
The decision was made at a Cabinet meeting on Aug 1, where funds for new buildings for SJK(T) Ladang Jeram will be allocated in Budget 2026, according to school board chairman Datuk Nadeson Kandasamy.
Education Ministry officials are expected to meet with the school board soon to discuss design plans and the project timeline, Nadeson said, adding that the budget is still being finalised.
"Construction will likely start next year once the funds are approved under Budget 2026," Nadeson noted, adding that the Cabinet’s decision was conveyed on Aug 1 by Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh.
The new buildings will be constructed on the same plot of land, about 20 minutes from Kuantan, currently occupied by makeshift cabins, Nadeson said.
"The standard specification for schools includes 18 classrooms, a library, computer room, teachers’ room, and principal’s room, possibly in one or two blocks," he explained.
"Additionally, it is now compulsory to have a kindergarten."
For the past 25 years, the school’s 43 pupils, 10 teachers, and a handful of staff have been using temporary cabins after the school was moved from its original site in the Jeram estate. The school was first established in 1952.
Pupils and staff were relocated to cabins while new buildings were being constructed at a permanent site. However, four years after the tender was issued in 2014, the developer faced financial problems, halting the project, which had reportedly cost RM14mil.
Efforts to revive the project between 2018 and 2023 were hindered by changes in education ministers, Nadeson said.
The current government revisited the issue and promised to complete the new buildings.
Ministers Gobind Singh (Digital), Fadhlina Sidek (Education), and Anthony Loke (Transport) have consistently raised the school’s plight in Cabinet meetings, Nadeson added.
Once the new buildings are ready, the board will remain responsible for maintaining them and their facilities.
"We anticipate increased enrolment once the new school blocks are ready. Previously, parents were reluctant to send their children due to inadequate facilities," Nadeson said.
"With the new buildings, we could likely enrol 100 new pupils each year."
In a statement on the Cabinet’s decision, Gobind said it reflected the government’s commitment to resolving issues faced by Tamil schools nationwide.
"As the Digital Minister, I will monitor and maintain contact with the Education Ministry, Prime Minister’s Department, and all related agencies to ensure the project is executed and completed promptly," he said.
"Our goal is to ensure that our children can learn in environments that are conducive and comfortable. I am confident that with everyone’s cooperation, the dream of seeing SJKT Ladang Jeram operating from new buildings will be realised."
