SOME schools in Penang may have low enrolment but they were never neglected by the Penang government.
SJK (C) Yeok Hua headmaster Teo Keng Lee said the school was very grateful to the state government for not neglecting the school despite it was classified as a low enrolment school or better known as SKM (Sekolah Kurang Murid).
“We have 51 pupils and 12 teachers including the staff. We have never been left out by the state government for the past 12 years. We are very thankful for the support given to us.
“I believe that the state would continue to support all the schools in Penang,” Teo said in his speech before the opening ceremony of the school hall and resource centre at the school in Jalan Kuala Jalan Baru in Balik Pulau today.
Penang Island City Council (MBPP) mayor Datuk Yew Tung Seang said the state was very concern about the wellbeing and development of Balik Pulau.
“We have launched the pilot MakerSpace in Balik Pulau in March last year (2019), hoping to transform the town into an education hub,” he said.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the state had allocated RM423,000 for SJK (C) Yeok Hua over the past 12 years.
“In the past, before the change of Federal Government, the Penang government allocated RM12 million annually for the benefit of the schools in the state.
“After the change of Federal Government, we decided to increase the allocation to RM17 million annually, to be distributed to the schools in Penang.
“I believe that regardless of whether the allocations are from the state or Federal, education is something that we must not neglect,” Chow said.
Chow also announced a RM20,000 allocation for SJK (C) Yeok Hua to instal a smart board for the Year Six pupils.
He thanked the pupils for their welcoming song in the Hakka dialect.
“We rarely hear people communicate in the Hakka dialect. Most Chinese would communicate in Mandarin or Hokkien in Penang.
“The song in the Hakka dialect is very pleasing to the ear,” he added.
Also present were Pulau Betong assemblyman Mohd Tuah Ismail, Teluk Bahang assemblyman Zolkifly Md Lazim, Pengkalan Kota assemblyman Daniel Gooi, southwest district education office deputy officer Taufik Muhamad and SJK (C) Yeok Hua board of management chairman Edward Tan.
Story by Christopher Tan
Pix by Ahmad Adil Muhamad
Video by Adleena Rahayu Ahmad Radzi
