KUCHING, Oct 5 — Over 33 per cent of the student’s population in 222 aided Chinese primary schools in Sarawak are Bumiputeras, said Kuching Hokkien Association Education Committee chairman Rodger Chan.
He said there were about 60,353 students enrolled in aided Chinese primary schools across the state and 20,126 of them comprised of Bumiputera students.
“In some Chinese primary schools in the rural areas, there are even more than 80 per cent of Bumiputera students,” said Chan when presenting the association’s studies excellence awards to primary school students on Sunday.
He said today’s Chinese primary schools were in fact similar to all community schools and in essence, they were no longer just schools for Chinese children.
For the 56 aided Chinese primary schools in Kuching, Samarahan and Serian divisions, Chan said about 27 per cent, or 4,749 students, of the overall student’s population of 17,637 were Bumiputeras.
“Therefore, Chinese primary schools should not be regarded as ethnic issues. In fact, many Chinese primary schools now have non-Chinese students,” said Chan.
He believed that Chinese schools had been recognised by the Bumiputera parents and students and it can help to promote mutual understanding and racial harmonies among people of different races in the state.
Besides, Chan added the financial support of Chinese school enthusiasts from the Chinese community had lightened the government and country’s school funding burden.
Furthermore, Chan said the wise leadership of Chief Ministers Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg and the late Pehin Sri Adenan Satem had allowed the relationship between people of different races to prosper and the state government was the first in the country to recognise Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) for independent Chinese Independent schools.
He also stressed the state was the first to set up a Unit for Other Religions (Unifor) and a special unit for Chinese primary schools’ affairs.
“It is the only government-supervised institution in Malaysia responsible for the affairs of Sarawak Chinese primary schools and institutionalized funding to support Chinese primary schools,” said Chan.
Nonetheless, Chan congratulated all awards recipients for their achievements and hoped they would continue to strive for excellence in their future endeavours. — Borneo Post Online
