TELUK INTAN: A total of 3,038 schools in the country are categorised as under-enrolled this year, with fewer than 150 pupils each.
Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh said even though the schools were categorised as under-enrolled (SKM), the schools would continue to be given attention by the ministry and none would be closed.
“This includes providing allocations for necessary facilities and upgrading work to give equal balance to all types of schools,“ he told reporters after visiting Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil Ladang Sungai Samak, Ulu Bernam here today.
He said that in Perak alone there were 419 under-enrolled schools and this year the State Education Department (JPN) had allocated RM38,000 to all government schools regardless of the number of students.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) has also drawn up several strategies to deal with the issue under the SKM Implementation Roadmap initiative.
Wong said among the strategies were the implementation of combined classes as well as the merging of under-enrolled schools in addition to the transfer or relocation of the schools.
“The combined classes would involve with Standard 2, 3, 4 and 5 pupils in schools with an enrollment of 30 students and below,“ he said.
Earlier, Wong visited six schools in the Teluk Intan parliamentary constituency and channelled an allocation of RM50,000 to each school for upgrading and maintenance work.
