Chinese schools receive RM10 mln in education grant from Sarawak govt

Abang Johari presenting the mock cheque of the grant to Lau (third left) as Dr Sim (second right) and others look on.

BINTULU (Aug 26): Sarawak independent Chinese secondary schools (ICSS) yesterday received RM10 million in education grant from the Sarawak government.

The education grant was presented by Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg to the Sarawak United Association of Private Chinese Secondary Schools Management Board president Temenggong Dato Lau Lee Ming at the Premier’s Office.

Among those present were Sarawak Deputy Premier Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian, Sarawak United Association of Private Chinese Secondary Schools Management Board deputy president Dato Richard Wee Liang Chiat, treasurer Datuk Seri Song Tiing Seng and assistant secretary Kuang Wei Hua.

This was the ninth allocation of education grant by the Sarawak government to the 14 ICSS in Sarawak.

The Sarawak United Association of Private Chinese Secondary Schools Management Board in a statement said since the first grant of RM3 million in 2014, the 14 independent Chinese secondary schools have been receiving financial aid from the state government every year with the amount increased by RM1 million annually.

For the record, the ICSS received RM4 million in 2015, RM5 million in 2016, RM6 million in 2017, RM7 million in 2018, RM8 million in 2019, RM9 million in 2020) and RM10 million in 2021, bringing the total amount of grant in the last eight years to RM52 million.

“We are grateful towards both the Premier of Sarawak and Sarawak government for recognising the positive contribution of Chinese education in the development of the state and the country and continuously supporting our endeavour by allocating annual financial grants and other educational resources to the Chinese schools,” it said.

The Sarawak United Association of Private Chinese Secondary Schools Management Board said with the change in environment and globalisation, particularly in a multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-religious country like Malaysia, adopting open policies including education is wise and realistic.

Although independent Chinese secondary schools are not a part of the nation’s mainstream education, they share the same noble objectives of all National (SMK) and National-type (SMJK) secondary schools in Malaysia to provide quality education and have been playing a shared-role in the country’s development and nation building.

“It is our appeal to the federal government that the independent Chinese secondary schools to be treated equally and share the same national resources as other secondary schools in the country,” the statement said.

Being private schools, ICSS do not receive funding from the federal government.

The main source of income for these schools is donations from the private sector and the public, a small part from the school fees.

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