From near closure to rebirth: SJKC Aik Hua's touching story

Summary

• In SJKC Aik Hua lies a story of how its former headmistress Hee Kam Poong fought to keep it alive.

• Among others, Hee brought her three grandchildren to be pupils in the school, and learnt how to make minor repairs on the generator.

Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina Aik Hua - set to be relocated and rebuilt as announced by Prime Minister Anwar in his Budget 2026 speech - carries a touching story.

Located in Pasir Hitam, Taiping, Perak, the seaside school has made headlines several times in recent years as its student population dwindled to single digits.

In a Facebook posting yesterday, Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh shared the story of the school's struggle for survival and how its former headmistress, Hee Kam Poong, fought to keep it alive.

"Hee was transferred to SJKC Aik Hua in 2012. On this island, there was no piped water and no electricity - the school relied on a generator and drinking water brought from the mainland.

"In May 2018, she was transferred to SJKC Yuk Chuen in Changkat Jering, but three months later, she applied to return to Aik Hua because she couldn't bear to leave the school and its children behind. She served until her retirement early this year," said Wong.

Enrolment efforts

According to the deputy minister, Aik Hua received approval for relocation in 2017, but at that time, there was no land or construction plan. Faced with uncertainty, the school board eventually decided to cancel the relocation plan.

Wong said that during that period, aside from the board's effort to enrol children from an orphanage in Puchong, Selangor, Hee even brought her three grandchildren from Taiping to study at Aik Hua to ensure the school had students.

"Today, Aik Hua has four pupils, two of whom are Hee's grandchildren," he said.

Wong added that during her years of service, Hee gradually repaired the school's dilapidated buildings, step by step.

"She told me that it didn't take much money - sometimes just RM1,000 or RM2,000 - and with the help of teachers and staff, she managed to make the school beautiful again.

"Over her 13 years at Aik Hua, she also learned how to do minor repairs on the generator. When she couldn't fix it herself, she would personally bring it to the mainland for repair," said Wong.

Wong recalled that at the beginning of this year, when he visited Aik Hua to propose the relocation plan, Hee's eyes welled with tears.

"Last month, during my visit to Aik Hua, I took some documents from the 1970s and 1980s, knowing that once the relocation succeeds, these will become precious historical records," he said.

Govt to fully bear cost of rebuilding

Yesterday, Wong invited Hee and her granddaughter to attend the Ng Teck Fong Teachers' Award ceremony, which recognises educators who have selflessly contributed to Chinese education.

In his Budget 2026 speech last Friday, Anwar announced that SJKC Aik Hua and SJKT Ladang Jeram in Pahang will be reconstructed, and a total of 38 new schools will be built to meet the needs of local communities.

According to Wong, this marks the first time in history that the government will fully bear the cost of building a Chinese primary school.

"In other words, SJKC Aik Hua will not need to raise funds for its relocation - the cost will be 100 percent borne by the government," he said.

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