Chua: Government to present Chinese schools a fixed allocation from next year
(The Star) – A fixed allocation will be given to Chinese schools from next year.
MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said he was informed of this by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, also the Education Minister, on Wednesday.
Dr Chua said Chinese primary schools had been allocated RM100mil last year and the same amount this year as development fund.
He warned that with the general election approaching, the Opposition had been going all out to mislead the people on the status of Chinese schools in the country.
Dr Chua said the DAP had to intensify such efforts this time around to counter the positive development for Chinese schools under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in the last two years.
He added that the increasing demand for places in Chinese primary schools among the Chinese and other races also showed the people’s confidence in the schools.
“Over 92% of Chinese send their children to Chinese primary schools now.
“Non-Chinese pupils comprise 15% of pupils in Chinese primary schools now, against 5% some 20 years ago,” he said.
The expansion for Chinese primary schools between 1999 and 2010 also saw the building of 17 new schools, relocation of 75 schools to areas with high demand for places and the rebuilding of more than 1,000 classrooms, said Dr Chua.
“The people must be made aware of the development so that they will not fall prey to the opposition,” he said after the ground-breaking ceremony for a new block of classrooms for SJK (C) Kopisan here yesterday.
Dr Chua said 820 tertiary institutions in China and 71 universities in Malaysia had mutual recognition.
Another 157 tertiary institutions in Taiwan and 121 in Malaysia also had similar recognition.
This, he added, had opened more tertiary education opportunities for students from Chinese schools, especially Chinese independent school students who hold the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) which is equivalent to STPM.
“The graduates are recognised in Malaysia,” he pointed out, adding that this showed the Government had neither neglected Chinese education nor the students or belittled UEC.
Pending recognition for UEC, Dr Chua said the MCA and Government had been making all efforts possible to make tertiary education accessible to the students.
Every year, beginning last year, 50 top UEC scorers get a RM45,000 scholarship each without any bond, he said.
Dr Chua also advised Malaysians to strive to be multi-lingual to enhance their competitiveness.
Citing examples, he said many of the Chinese in China speak good English compared to 20 years ago.
Later in Ipoh, Dr Chua advised grassroots leaders in all divisions not to organise any overseas group holidays from now until after the general election.
“It is important to focus fully on our election preparations, especially in our services to the people and reaching out to them,” he said after chairing the Perak MCA liaison committee meeting.
