Compiled by C. ARUNO, BENJAMIN LEE and R. ARAVINTHAN
THE number of pupils enrolled in Chinese vernacular schools has decreased by more than 5% in 2025, reflecting the declining birth rate among the Chinese population in Malaysia, Sin Chew Daily reported.
According to the United Chinese School Teachers Association (Jiao Zong), the number of pupils enrolled in SJK(C)s fell by 26,526 last year from a total of 490,514 in 2024.
In a report titled ‘Issues Facing Chinese Vernacular Schools’, Jiao Zong pointed out that of the 1,303 schools nationwide, half had fewer than 150 pupils and 13 of these schools had fewer than 10 pupils.
However, the enrolment of non-Chinese pupils in SJK(C)s saw an increase, with the educationist group estimating that they make up 20% of the pupil population.
The group also pointed out that a more diverse student body also meant that pupils from non-Mandarin-speaking families could face challenges learning in Chinese vernacular schools.
“Teachers must make extra efforts to ensure that non-Chinese pupils can keep up academically and adapt to the learning environment,” it said.
On the announcement of the National Education Development Blueprint 2026-2035, Jiao Zong urged the government to continue taking feedback from all stakeholders and make improvements where necessary. It added that the blueprint should reflect the needs of Malaysia’s multi-cultural society.
The above articles are compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with a >, it denotes a separate news item.
