When hawkers and contractors chip in to keep Chinese schools afloat

 

FMT:

When hawkers and

contractors chip in to keep

Chinese schools afloat

Predeep Nambiar

-06 Aug 2024, 07:00 AM

Community efforts show a commitment to invest in education, faced with insufficient government funding for vernacular schools.

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The new building for SJK(C) Chung Hwa 2 primary school. The school board is awaiting a certificate of completion and compliance.

BUTTERWORTH: 

Four years ago, Lim Kai Seng watched in dismay as the ceiling of a Chinese primary school canteen began falling apart, posing a threat to some 600 pupils and teachers.

Lim Kai Seng.

As a contractor, Lim knew the only solution was to rebuild.

Measures to mitigate subsidence at the river basin site had not been put in place when the school, SJK(C) Chung Hwa 2, was relocated in 2006 to Jalan Bagan 1 after a developer took over their 90-year-old site at Chain Ferry.

Lim helped the parent-teacher association with a donation drive to collect RM4.5 million for a new canteen and new classrooms to accommodate a higher student enrolment. Part of the sum was to be set aside to repair the older building and buy new furniture.

One of the key donors was Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng, who helped raise RM1 million through his network and some constituency allocations.

Unexpectedly, a 

loh mee

 hawker was one of the first to chip in — he donated his entire day’s earnings of RM10,000. A 

Hokkien mee

 seller followed suit with the same amount.

Theme park operator Sim Choo Kheng (centre) at SJK(C) Sin Kang school in Air Itam. He donated RM200,000 worth of tablet computers to replace text books. On his right are headmistress Lian Poh Lai (left) and Penang education officer Fazzlijan Adnan Khan.

The campaign reached close to the RM4.5 million target in about 18 months, and the new canteen plus four-storey building with 12 classrooms were completed in 10 months for about RM3 million.

Lim said the amount of money donated, and the range of contributors from different backgrounds, was proof of the Chinese community’s commitment to education. 

They are willing to part with their money even if they are in hardship,

 he said.

He said such sacrifices easily dispelled claims that Chinese schools relied on the alcohol industry for funds when historically it mostly relied on donations from the public.

The real donations come from the public, not just big companies,

 he said, adding that breweries did not give a 

single sen

 to schools, but merely paid for entertainers at fundraising dinners, crucial for schools that aren’t fully government-funded.

He says it costs about RM200,000 annually to run the school, a sum which is almost completely funded by donations.

Why Chinese schools started raising funds

Fundraising for Chinese schools began due to insufficient government funding. In the 2022 federal budget, only RM120 million was allocated for both Chinese and Tamil vernacular schools, which was deemed inadequate. Public donations are needed to cover operational costs and development projects.

Chinese community groups, such as Dong Zong and Jiao Zong, play a key role in organising and coordinating fundraising activities. These groups work closely with school boards and parent-teacher associations to ensure schools receive the necessary financial support.

Despite funding hurdles, Chinese schools have built a reputation for high educational standards and well-maintained facilities, making them attractive to parents from various ethnic backgrounds. A recent report citing government data showed at least 20% of pupils in these schools were not ethnic Chinese.

Local businesses and large corporations, including breweries, also play a significant role. Breweries such as Tiger and Carlsberg have supported these schools for decades by sponsoring events and performances.

The Penang government has allocated RM9 million to support Chinese, Tamil and mission schools. Of the amount, RM4.55 million were disbursed to Chinese primary schools this year, Buletin Mutiara reported.

In February, transport minister Loke Siew Fook announced that 63 Chinese independent schools in the country will receive an allocation of RM18.9 million this year, with each receiving RM300,000. Last year, these schools received RM250,000 each, out of an allocation that was RM15.7 million.

Part of our culture to donate, says businessman

Sim Choo Kheng, a theme park operator, said the Chinese community donated generously to schools as a way to ensure the long-term prosperity and harmony of future generations.

Sim Choo Kheng.

Donating to schools is very natural among the Chinese. By doing so, they create wealth and pass on to their future generations. It is a Taoistic practice. We will give whatever we can for the well-being of our family and community.

Sim recently donated RM200,000 worth of Lenovo tablet computers to his alma mater, Sin Kang Chinese primary school in Air Itam, which he says will significantly improve the learning process for Standard 1 students.

This is to set an example so that others will follow my lead. I want our students to have access to technology that translates to better learning experiences,

 he said.

He now plans to build a swimming pool for the school, aiming to raise RM3 million for this project and other school needs at the school’s 118th anniversary fundraiser. To date he has raised RM2 million.

Sim also plans to start an annual nine-day funfair to raise at least RM250,000 to run the school, and to cover expenses for upgrades such as the computers, air conditioning and the swimming pool.