Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe by Email THIRTY-SEVEN primary schools in Penang are under-enrolled with some schools having even below 50 pupils.
Although the state Education Department will not close down such schools, it views the matter with concern.
Of the number, 21 are Chinese, 13 Tamil and three national schools.
Department director Ahmad Husain (pic) said that despite the dwindling number, the schools would not be closed or relocated.
“Most of the 260 primary schools in Penang have more than 100 pupils each.
“We will try to encourage more parents to enrol their children at the under-enrolled schools,” he said.
His department had taken several measures to arrest the problem, including meeting up with the respective Parent-Teacher Associa-tions.
“We sometimes redirect parents to enrol their children at the under-enrolled schools,” he said in an interview yesterday.
Schools with below 150 pupils, are classified as under-enrolled.
Ahmad was asked for comments on MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting’s statement recently that 61 Chinese primary schools in Nilai, Negri Sembilan, would be relocated due to dwindling enrolment.
Ahmad said only four schools in Penang had below 50 pupils.
They were SJK (C) Beng Teik at Catz Street with 20 pupils, SJK (T) Ladang Sempah in Nibong Tebal with 30 pupils, and SK Seri Tanjung at Jalan Hutton and SK Pulau Aman with 40 pupils each, he said.
SJK (C) Beng Teik had requested to be relocated to the mainland and efforts were made to build a new school there, he said.
Penang has a total of 260 primary schools, out of which 90 are Chinese, 28 Tamil and 142 national schools. The total enrolment is 154,000.
