GEORGE TOWN – The Education Ministry (MoE) has confirmed its decision to end the operations of 89-year-old SK Assumption in Butterworth in March at the end of the third term for the 2021/2022 schooling session.
In a statement, it explained that the school’s land and buildings on it belonged to a private company, Sri Avenue Sdn Bhd.
The ministry said the company has notified, in a letter dated November 3, 2021, that it had received offers from developers for the land and the school blocks.
It also pointed out that enrolment at the school had been dwindling, with there being only 53 students registered there at present.
The missionary school was originally located on Jalan Assumption, but this land was sold off by the Penang Catholic Diocese some 25 years ago. The school had to then be relocated several hundred metres away.
MoE has proposed to the parents of the pupils to have their children transferred to nearby schools, including SK Kuala Perai, SK Sungai Nyior, SK St Mark (Butterworth), SK St Mark (Perai) and SK Khir Johari.
The school’s 15 teachers and the two staff members will be transferred to the nearby schools.
On January 8, The Vibes reported that SK Assumption in Butterworth is to cease operations from February 28.
It was reported that MoE made the decision to close down the school as the private landowner is seeking the return of the land as soon as possible.
This was confirmed by Parent-Teachers Association chairman Mohd Aminuddin Baqy Mohd Noor, who attended a meeting with Education Department deputy director Abdul Said Hussain, the school’s board of governors and the SK Assumption Alumni Association.
He had told The Vibes that the deputy director informed them that the ministry had no choice but to vacate the school as the land belongs to a private owner and he is demanding for it to be returned as soon as possible.
Bagan Dalam assemblyman M. Satees said he personally does not agree with the decision to close down the school.
“It is improper for the department to simply inform the school to close down,” he said, adding that the school is not a “roadside illegal stall” and has students who will be affected when they are transferred to another school.
“The ministry could at least extend the closure for another year to give time for the parents and the students to mentally prepare themselves,” he said.
The “Save the Assumption” task force has expressed its disappointment with Education Minister Datuk Mohd Radzi Md Jidin for allegedly failing to respond to letters sent to the ministry urging that the school be saved from being shuttered.
The task force spokesman Vernon Fernandez last week said the Education Ministry should be held responsible for the present debacle the school is facing, as it opted to remain silent on the issue.
The task force, Fernandez said, had engaged with numerous stakeholders including parents, the Parent-Teacher Association, the Butterworth Alumni Association and several others to save the school.
However, he pointed out that there has been no response from the Education Ministry over the closure of SK Assumption in Bagan Dalam, except for the initial announcement of the closure by the state deputy education director. – The Vibes, January 24, 2022
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