1st Meeting 2025

03 February 2025 – 06 March 2025

Education Minister Assures No Tamil Schools Will Close Amid Infrastructure Challenges

If your child attends a Tamil school, this parliamentary session brought important reassurances. The government promised that no Tamil schools will be closed, even if nearby estates shut down and student numbers drop. While a few schools still face delays with new buildings due to court cases, land has been approved for others to finally move out of temporary containers. Additionally, a new digital safety programme will soon help teach students how to stay safe online.

Parliamentarians heavily scrutinised the government over delayed infrastructure projects for vernacular schools, warning of growing political dissatisfaction among the Indian community. In response, the Ministry of Education firmly committed to preserving all existing institutions and announced land lease approvals to resolve long-standing facility shortages.

Key Findings

The Minister of Education guaranteed on 24 February that no Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan (Tamil) — SJK(T) — will be closed under the current administration, specifically intervening to save SJK(T) Ladang Ketumbar in Kedah, which is one of 154 under-enrolled Tamil schools nationwide.
The government approved a three-acre land lease to the School Management Board (LPS) of SJK(T) Ladang Jeram in Pahang, paving the way for a new building after years of students learning in shipping containers.
Construction of SJK(T) Sungai Bakap remains indefinitely stalled due to ongoing court proceedings, though the Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia (KPM) and the Ministry of Finance are collaborating on a resolution.
The Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (MITRA) launched a joint cybersecurity programme with CyberSecurity Malaysia to educate students across 200 SJK(T)s on responsible social media use and digital safety.

MP Scorecard

MP Name	Constituency	Topic	Stance	Impact
Tuan Sanisvara Nethaji Rayer a/l Rajaji	Jelutong	Expedite delayed school construction projects	Advocacy	Localised Issue
Tuan Ganabatirau a/l Veraman	Klang	Resolve container classrooms and political anger	Advocacy	Localised Issue
Tuan Ramkarpal Singh a/l Karpal Singh	Bukit Gelugor	Request timeline for container school replacement	Inquiry	Localised Issue
Tuan Mohd Nazri bin Abu Hassan	Merbok	Upgrade dangerous bridge near school	Advocacy	Localised Issue
Tuan Syed Saddiq bin Syed Abdul Rahman	Muar	Question demographic shifts in national schools	Critical	General Rhetoric
Tuan Prabakaran a/l M Parameswaran	Batu	Highlight cybersecurity programme for students	Advocacy	Policy Shift

Executive Responses

Minister/Deputy	Portfolio	Response To	Verdict	Date
Dato' Sri Fadhlina binti Sidek	Minister of Education	Sungai Bakap delay (20-day lag from 4 Feb)	Deflected	24 Feb 2025
Dato' Sri Fadhlina binti Sidek	Minister of Education	Ladang Jeram land lease (20-day lag)	Resolved	24 Feb 2025
Dato' Sri Fadhlina binti Sidek	Minister of Education	Preventing Ladang Ketumbar closure	Commitment Made	24 Feb 2025
Tuan Gobind Singh Deo	Minister of Digital	MITRA cybersecurity programme	Resolved	25 Feb 2025

Dato' Sri Fadhlina binti Sidek deflected on the exact construction timeline for SJK(T) Sungai Bakap citing court proceedings — stakeholders should request a written update on the legal resolution via their MP.

Policy Signals

The KPM's pledge to keep under-enrolled schools like SJK(T) Ladang Ketumbar open directly addresses the Rancangan Pendidikan Malaysia 2026-2035 (RPM) commitment to ensure equitable access to quality education regardless of school type.
The land lease approval for SJK(T) Ladang Jeram fulfills the RPM mandate for infrastructure upgrades for under-resourced schools, finally transitioning students out of temporary container classrooms.
The MITRA cybersecurity initiative aligns with broader digital literacy goals, providing targeted curriculum support for vernacular education streams.

What to Watch

If your school is operating in temporary structures, Parent-Teacher Association (PIBG) leaders must immediately submit formal land lease applications to the State Education Department (JPN), citing the SJK(T) Ladang Jeram precedent.
School Management Boards (LPS) at under-enrolled estate schools facing closure should formally petition the KPM to invoke the Minister's 24 February non-closure guarantee to secure relocation assistance.
If your school was excluded from the initial 200 SJK(T)s selected for the MITRA cybersecurity programme, PIBG representatives should contact MITRA directly to request inclusion in the next rollout phase.