Some 600 primary school leavers from Chinese schools in Penang may not gain entry into the 10 vernacular secondary schools next year because of a reduction in the number of Form 1 classes and strict admission criteria.

Sin Chew Daily

reported today that four controlled Chinese schools - Penang Chung Ling High School, Penang Chinese Girls School, Butterworth Chung Ling High School and Jit Sin High School - have reduced the number of classes, each capable of accommodating about 50 students.

(Controlled schools are those whose enrolment quota is set by the education department.)

However, an education official was quoted as saying that there is no reduction, but that the schools are merely reverting to the number of classes they operated in 2002. Special arrangements had been made this year for a larger intake of 'Dragon Year' children.

Two schools - Jit Sin High School in Bukit Mertajam and Penang Chinese Girls School - have reportedly dropped a total of five classes between them.

Appeal submitted

State executive counsellor for education Doh Kin Woon told malaysiakini today that he has submitted an appeal to the department together with two options to resolve the problem.

"We are looking into the issue as many parents are not happy with the situation. Their expectations have been conveyed to the state education department, which will be discussing the matter immediately," he said.

The options are to either retain the same number of Form 1 classes to cater for incoming students, or to increase the number of students in each class.

It is understood that, if the decision stays, the students will have to seek enrolment in national schools.

Asked why the education department had reverted to the 2002 figure, Toh said this could be one way of ensuring the good students are well distributed among schools in order to balance overall academic performance.

High entry standards

The situation has been complicated by the high admission standards set by the controlled schools, which are among the nation's best. Jit Sin High School, for instance, has consistently recorded 100 percent passes in the Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) examination.

Three of the schools demand a minimum of 6As and 1B in the UPSR examination, while the fourth takes in students with at least 5As and 2Bs.

Chong Eng, the DAP member of parliament for Bukit Mertajam, suggested that a better solution would be to open more classes to meet the demand for mother-tongue education.

"Although some schools have put in such applications, the education department has not approved this," she claimed when contacted.

She said this in reference to the remaining six schools, which are allegedly unable to accept more students as a result of the decision.

Malaysiakini

was unable to contact the state education department for comments.