JOHOR BARU: The newly built SJKC Poay Chai in Bukit Indah should be allowed to start operating by the beginning of the new school term, said Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.
The MCA president said it would make more sense for the school, which was relocated from Singkir, Kedah, to Bukit Indah, to be open before students enrol at a different school.
“I hope that the Education Ministry will allow the school to operate by the beginning of the new session in March rather than in June as students would then have to move from another school to this new one after just three months.
“Similarly, teachers would also have to be relocated from somewhere else to this school.
“It is just not practical. Why must parents send their children to one school and then transfer them to another one after a few months?” he said at a press conference after chairing the Johor MCA meeting at its headquarters here yesterday.
Dr Wee added that many parents in Bukit Indah have been waiting eagerly for the opening of the school as it is closer to their homes.
“Some said the school may not be able to be open by March but I have worked in the ministry before. It is possible. We have another two months, so you can just get everything done.
“I remember during my time, we had less than one month and even just three weeks to make it happen, and we did it,” he said, adding that the school has been completed at a cost of RM13mil.
He said currently, parents in Bukit Indah, one of the most populated residential areas here, are forced to send their children to schools that are further away from their homes.
“I think you can easily get 1,000 students waiting to have a school in the area.
“A lot of the parents there are also working in Singapore. As such, it will be so much more convenient for them to send their kids to a school that is nearer to their house,” he said.
On a separate matter involving Chinese schools in Johor, Dr Wee urged the government to ensure that the construction of SJKC Kuek Ho Yao and SJKC Sim Mou Yu will be carried out as scheduled.
“I hope that there will not be any delays in the construction of these two schools as that has happened before.
“This is something that I have highlighted many times in Parliament. I am not trying to ‘cari gaduh’ (pick a fight) with anyone but this is for the community,” he said.
SJKC Kuek Ho Yao and SJKC Sim Mow Yu both had their groundbreaking ceremonies in 2018.However, both schools have seen several delays in construction since.
