Only two out of 32 students in Chinese school are Chinese
A government Chinese primary school in Malaysia has an unusual ratio of students - only two out of 32 of their students are Chinese, reported the Star.
SJK(C) Choon Hwa Batu 18, in Hulu Langat, Selangor, is seeing more non-Chinese students in recent years as Malay and Orang Asli parents are sending their children to Chinese schools.
Many of these parents believe that Chinese schools are more strict and could help their children achieve better results.
Headmistress Chin Bee Foon also added that "they believe that learning Chinese will give their children an added advantage in life".
Mdm Roziah Lutan, 41, sends three of her children to the school and is planning to enrol her youngest child next year.
She said is aware of increasing calls for Chinese schools to shut down.
Challenges
She said: “I do not wish for Chinese schools to close down.
“I am proud of my children as they have acquired an additional language.
"Whenever the college needs someone to translate Chinese, they will seek out my eldest son."
But having more non-Chinese students also pose several challenges.
According to Ms Wong Chew Li, a school official, the classroom is the only place where they can practice the language.
“When they go home, they usually revert to their mother tongue,” she said, adding that this makes learning the language much harder.
Source: The Star
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