PETALING JAYA: Education minister Fadhlina Sidek has been praised by her deputy for defending the status of vernacular schools.
Wong Kah Woh said that under Fadhlina’s leadership, the ministry has not neglected the needs of Chinese and Tamil vernacular schools.
“Malaysia now has an education minister who is not afraid to state her support for vernacular schools both in and out of Parliament.
“She is also not afraid to say that the unity government will always protect and defend the position of vernacular schools in Malaysia. There is no doubt about that,” he said at the 2024 Tiger Sin Chew Chinese education charity concert last night.
Wong also said two new vernacular schools will commence operations soon, with SJKC Poay Chai to open next month in Johor, while SJKC Poi Min in Selangor is expected to start its first semester in September after receiving a certificate of completion and compliance.
He said Putrajaya was dedicated to improving national education as a whole, citing the opening of five new schools so far this year, namely SK Saujana Putra and SMK Bandar Saujana Utama 2 in Selangor; SMK Serada in Terengganu; SM Sains Segamat in Johor; and SJKT Heawood in Perak.
In March, Fadhlina said the government had no plans to revamp vernacular schools and that the ministry would continue to uphold the Education Act 1996, which recognised the use of Chinese and Tamil as medium of instruction in the classrooms.
Meanwhile, Roland Bala, the managing director of Heineken Malaysia Bhd, said he had always admired the strong emphasis that the Chinese community placed on education.
“I’m not surprised at all that the Chinese community is so successful in every way,” he said at the event.
Ten charity concerts will be held this year to raise RM15 million for 11 SJKCs. Since 1994, the campaign has raised more than RM407 million with over 540 schools benefiting.
