SJKT Ramakrishna Gets RM80,000 From Penang Govt

GEORGE TOWN, Jan 16 (Bernama) -- The Penang government has channelled RM80,000 to Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil (SJKT) Ramakrishna here to enhance the quality of teaching and learning (PdPc) and provide a more conducive school environment.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the allocation was part of the state government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen educational facilities and ensure equal access to quality education for all 339 students at the school.

He said RM50,000 was approved last December and has since been credited to the school for the construction of two additional classrooms, which are currently under construction.

“In conjunction with the Ponggal celebration, I am pleased to announce an additional allocation of RM30,000. I hope that through this contribution, both students and teachers will be able to enjoy a better learning environment,” he said.

Chow said this when speaking at a cheque presentation ceremony and Ponggal celebration at the school here today, which was also attended by Jelutong Member of Parliament R.S.N. Rayer and the school’s headmistress,  A. Vasagi Devi.

The state government, he said, remains committed to supporting a holistic, inclusive and quality education agenda, including empowering vernacular schools to remain relevant and competitive.

According to Chow, the additional allocations for Tamil national-type schools (SJKT) and Chinese national-type schools (SJKC) announced recently by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also reflect the federal government’s concern for the development of multi-stream education in the country.

Meanwhile, Chow said that as a plural society, the celebration of festivals such as Ponggal is highly significant as it serves as a platform to strengthen understanding, tolerance and mutual respect among different races.

Separately, the school’s classroom construction project manager, K. Kumarathiraviam, said the application to build the additional learning facilities was submitted to the state government two years ago and has now come to fruition.

He said construction work began on Sept 6 last year, with the progress of the project currently at more than 70 per cent complete, and expected to be completed within the next two months.

-- BERNAMA