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School produces two high achievers despite having few pupils

MELAKA: Three cheers for SJK(C) Kuang Yah!

Despite having just three pupils attending Year One in the new term, the school is unwavering in guiding them to excel.

“We produced two high achievers (out of 79 from the state this year), scoring 8As in the UPSR. We hope to achieve the same in 2019,” headmistress Swee Chin Mei said.

“With a small number of pupils, my 11 teachers could focus on moulding high achievers and continue to be among the top schools in the state for 2019,” she said in an interview.

Swee said they have a total of 60 pupils from Years One to Six.

The school, she said, had good infrastructure and equipment but lacked the number of pupils.

Malays, she said, made up the highest number of pupils at 34 (or 56.7%), followed by Chinese (25 pupils or 41.7%) and a sole Indian pupil for the 2019 session.

Swee attributed the low enrolment this year due to the migration of local folk to urban areas and also the low birth rate.

SJK(C) Kuang Yah, which was built in 1932 during the British era, has the lowest number of pupils for 2019 among the 19 Chinese primary schools in the state with reduced enrolment.

The other schools are 11 in Jasin district, five in Alor Gajah and three in Melaka Tengah.

Kota Melaka MP Khoo Poay Tiong said about 20% of enrolment at 65 Chinese schools in the state were non-Chinese.

He said SJK(C) Sungai Udang has 46 pupils for this year in which 50% are Malays whose parents are mostly working for the armed forces.

“Chinese schools in the state should be at the forefront of building a harmonious nation by closing the gap between the races.

“We could create zero-tolerance against racism by 2030 if Chinese schools could foster unity among the multi-ethnic pupils,” said Khoo.

Melaka Action Group for Parents in Education chairman Mak Chee Kin said the number of students from various races in vernacular schools debunked the perception that such schools were a hindrance to national unity.

“Teachers as educationists should also avoid stereotyping or discriminating their students based on race,” he added.

Source: TheStar