Over 3,000 schools nationwide with low student population

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 3,015 schools are categorised as schools with low student population as of May 31, the Dewan Rakyat was told yesterday.

Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching said out of the total 2,054 schools, 601 were Chinese National Type Schools ( SJKC) and 360 Tamil SJK.

“The decline may be due to the migration of residents to other locations,” he said.

He was replying to a question from Wong Ling Biu ( DAP- Sarikei) who asked if the ministry would consider renewing the procedure to facilitate the transfer of SJKC to urban areas following the migration of residents from the rural to urban areas.

Teo said based on the roadmap for schools with low student population that was tabled in 2017, schools with a gradual drop in student intake within a certain period of time would be recommended to be moved to a new location that had potential for increased student enrolment.

“However, the transfer is subject to the conditions set by the Ministry of Education, namely that the parents agreed 100 per cent to have their children transferred to a new site.

He also said the ministry was always ready to facilitate the transfer of such schools and to review existing procedures in the event of such a need. — Bernama