SEREMBAN: Tamil vernacular schools have set a benchmark for being among the cleanest educational institutions in the country, says Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.
She said both she and her deputy Wong Kah Woh had been consistently impressed during their school visits nationwide.
“Based on our observations, these schools have no issues with cleanliness, and boast very beautiful physical environments.
“How is this discipline of cleanliness so extraordinary?
“That is why you have to tell the story of how you are able to maintain your school as the cleanest in Malaysia,” she said during the groundbreaking ceremony for SJKT Ladang Labu Div 4 at MVV City here yesterday.
Fadhlina said she was also impressed by the strong Bahasa Melayu proficiency among teachers and pupils at a Tamil school in Kuala Krai, Kelantan.
“None of the teachers or pupils spoke in the Kelantanese dialect, and all of them were proficient in Bahasa Malaysia,” she noted.
“When I asked the principal about their good command, I was told that being Malaysians, they must lead by example and ensure that pupils have a good grasp of the language.”
She said a visit to another Tamil school in Langkawi also left her impressed with the students’ English proficiency.
“I observed the same thing during my visits to a few Tamil schools in Johor,” she said, noting that the teachers also displayed exceptional teaching capabilities.
She said Tamil schools had established a high benchmark, leading to an increasing number of parents enrolling their children in these institutions.
Earlier, Fadhlina congratulated the Negri Sembilan government, developer Matrix Concepts Holdings Bhd and the board of governors of SJKT Ladang Labu Div 4 for successfully relocating the school to the new smart and green township of MVV City.
She said that apart from the commitment of all stakeholders, the project showed that cooperation between the federal and state governments was crucial for such efforts to succeed.
Fadhlina said her ministry had also been working to revive the long-stalled construction of a Tamil school in Sungai Bakap, Nibong Tebal in Penang.
“Last week, I was told that the school should also be completed within a year,” she said.
The new SJKT Ladang Labu Div 4 will be built on 2.4ha of land, 1km from its current location.
Matrix Concepts will contribute half of the estimated RM9mil development cost while the Federal Government has allocated RM2mil for the project. The remaining funds were raised by the school’s board of governors.
Matrix Concepts group managing director Kelvin Lee said the project reflected the company’s long-term commitment to building integrated townships where quality education and essential community facilities grew alongside residential and economic development.
“As we continue to develop MVV City, our vision has always been to create a complete and future-ready ecosystem where communities can grow, families can thrive and future generations can access the facilities they need.
“The development of SJKT Ladang Labu Div 4 reflects this commitment, as education remains a fundamental pillar in shaping sustainable and meaningful communities,” he added.
