GEORGE TOWN, June 21 — Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow has appealed to the Education Ministry to look at the possibility of relocating the three mission schools facing closure once the landowner takes back the land they are on.

He said the schools — SRK Convent Light Street, SMK Convent Light Street (CLS) and SMK Convent Pulau Tikus (CPT) — could be relocated within the state or island.

“If needed, the state can look at land surrendered by developers to see if these are suitable for the relocation of these schools,” he said

He added that over the past five to six years, the state education department has an inventory of land surrendered by developers.

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Chow was commenting on a recent report of the closure of the three mission schools by 2024 after the landowner takes back the land.

He said he received a letter from the Lady Superior of the Society of St Maur requesting for an appointment to discuss the issue.

“It is to discuss especially Convent Light Street and we have given them a date to meet so they can come brief the state and myself regarding their plans for the land,” he said.

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Chow will be meeting representatives from the Lady Superior of the Society of St Maur on July 19.

He said CLS, both primary and secondary, land is located within the heritage site and the school buildings are listed as heritage buildings by the national heritage department.

“Any plans for the buildings will be subject to development control with regards to the heritage zone regulations,” he said.

He said he was unaware of any development applications by the landowner.

“We do not know if there will be an application, so let us wait to hear from the landowner when they come to brief the state government,” he said.

Malay Mail reported in 2017 that CLS and CPT have started phasing out student intake in 2018 in preparation to surrender the land back to the landowner.

CLS is believed to be the oldest mission girls’ school in the country as it was established on April 12, 1852 by the Sisters of the Holy Infant Jesus Mission.

At that time, the school was an orphanage with a baby hatch at the front entrance so unwanted babies could be safely placed there and it also used to be a boarding school for girls from wealthy families.

The Holy Infant Jesus Mission bought Government House along with its expansive land in 1859; this is where Francis Light lived when he first arrived in George Town.

The historical Francis Light’s well was dug for Light’s use and still remains on the school grounds till today.

CPT was established by Reverend Mother Saint Hermine in 1922 as the Sekolah Convent Infant Jesus.

It was originally located where the present SRK CPT is located before a new building was built for SMK Convent Pulau Tikus in 1950.

SRK CPT will not be affected as it is located on government land.