528 SJKT Operating Nationwide With 78,501 Pupils

KUALA LUMPUR, June 22 (Bernama) -- There are currently 528 Tamil national-type schools (SJKT) operating nationwide, with a combined enrolment of 78,501 pupils as of May 31, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh said 8,023 candidates registered for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination in 2023, followed by 7,925 in 2024, 7,693 in 2025 and 7,494 new candidates this year.

He said the Tamil language subject will continue to be offered and remain among the language subjects provided by the Examinations Syndicate.

The Ministry of Education (MOE), he said, remains committed to strengthening Tamil language education through various initiatives, including the implementation of the 2027 School Curriculum, enhancing the quality of teaching and learning, strengthening Tamil literature, and providing continued support to SJKTs.

“The MOE also wishes to clarify that pupils studying in schools that do not offer Tamil are still eligible to sit for the subject in SPM, subject to the prevailing examination registration requirements,” he said when replying to a question from V. Ganabatirau (PH-Klang) during the Special Chamber session. 

Wong said among the measures undertaken by the MOE is the support to SJKTs in terms of infrastructure and teacher training, including ensuring the availability of sufficient qualified teachers.

In Johor, there are 71 SJKTs with a total enrolment of 12,906 pupils, while Johor Bahru district has 15 SJKTs with 7,840 pupils. Four schools in the district have recorded high enrolment, namely SJKT Taman Tun Aminah (1,529 pupils), SJKT Ladang Rini (1,055), SJKT Jalan Yahya Awal (890) and SJKT Masai (768), he said.

According to him, the MOE continues to strengthen SJKT infrastructure, including the construction of new buildings for SJKT Ladang Rini and SJKT Kulai Besar, each of which has received an allocation of RM4.3 million and is expected to accommodate an additional 200 to 300 pupils.

He added that there are two SJKTs in Johor Bahru with fewer than 30 pupils, namely SJKT Ladang Sungai Plentong and SJKT Ladang Mados.

To address the issue of under-enrolled schools, he said the ministry has implemented a dedicated roadmap that includes multi-grade classes, school relocation and the retention of schools based on local needs.

“As of May 31, 2026, a total of 135 under-enrolled SJKTs nationwide have implemented multi-grade classes, while 36 SJKTs have been approved for relocation,” he said, adding that the requirement for Tamil language option teachers in SJKTs stands at 1,334, but the current staffing level has reached 1,733. For secondary schools, the requirement is 584 teachers, with the current staffing level at 648.

On the transparency of public examination grading, Wong said examination results are not determined based on quotas or target percentages of candidates required to obtain a particular grade. Instead, they are determined systematically and professionally based on candidates’ actual level of mastery and performance against curriculum requirements, assessment objectives and standards set for each subject.

“In this process, panels comprising subject experts, curriculum experts and educational measurement experts examine candidates’ performance, the characteristics of examination instruments, curriculum requirements and competency standards before any grade boundary is determined. This practice is widely adopted in other international examination systems,” he said.

He said grade boundaries may vary according to the performance of a particular candidate cohort and the characteristics of examination instruments in a given year, in line with practices adopted in international examination systems.

-- BERNAMA