Kuala lumpur: The Ministry of Education (MOE) has allocated RM19.09 million this year for the maintenance of Tamil national-type schools (SJKT) with government-aided school (SBK) status nationwide. Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh stated that this amount marks an increase from the RM18.15 million allocated to all SJKTs that applied last year.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Wong highlighted that SJKTs in Perak alone received RM4.43 million this year, up from RM4.13 million in 2024. These allocations will be utilized by the schools to carry out necessary maintenance and improvements. Wong made these remarks after the presentation ceremony for the SBK maintenance allocation at the Kinta Utara District Education Office.
Earlier, Wong presented RM810,000 in allocations to eight SJKTs in the Kinta Utara district. The ceremony was attended by State Human Resources, Health, Indian Community Affairs, and National Integration Committee chairman A. Sivanesan. Wong emphasized that the increased allocation reflects the government's commitment to enhancing school infrastructure to provide a safe, conducive, and comfortable environment for students.
Wong also addressed the status of Sekolah Kurang Murid (SKM), or schools with low enrolment, stating there is no need to close them as they continue to serve educational needs and remain central to their communities. Several measures have been introduced to ensure SKM remains relevant, including more structured management that does not affect children's access to education.
Wong explained that SKM will be maintained in the same location if it is essential and provides the only access to education, even if it serves only three students a year. The ministry is also merging Year 1 and Year 2 classes, as well as Year 4 and Year 5, if an SKM has fewer than 30 students. He noted that as of April 15 last year, 3,038 schools nationwide were categorized as SKM, and policies have been formulated to streamline their operations.
The relocation of SKM will be considered only as a last resort, subject to technical considerations and requiring cooperation from various parties. Wong stressed that these efforts demonstrate the government's seriousness in addressing SKM issues without compromising children's right to education, including in remote areas.