AMA KENG ENGLISH SCHOOL (Setting up of Chinese primary school in unoccupied classrooms)

Mr Ong Chang Sam asked the Minister for Education how many un occupied classrooms are there in the Ama Keng English School, and whether consideration will be given to the setting up of a Chinese primary school next year in these unoccupied classrooms.

Mr Yong Nyuk Lin: There are 14 classrooms in Ama Keng Primary School, of which 12 classrooms are being used in the morning session for the English medium. Consideration will always be given to any language stream wishing to use unoccupied classrooms in Government schools if the request is made. At present, the need for a Chinese primary school in this area would appear to be fully met by Kay Wah School, a Government-aided Chinese School, which is situated one mile away from Ama Keng Primary School itself.

Mr Ong Chang Sam: (In Mandarin): Is the Minister aware that in Kay Wah School, 60 students are not accommodated in classrooms?

Mr Yong Nyuk Lin: Mr Speaker, Sir, these are matters of detail which the school puts up to the Ministry and the Ministry does its best. If there are no teachers, I suppose there will be the usual delay in trying to get the correct persons to be appointed. If it is a request to extend classrooms to take in more students, then that has, I think, been met by the Ministry of Education in next year's provision.

Mr Ong Chang Sam: (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, probably the Minister misunderstood me. He said that the Ama Keng English School has two empty classrooms, and that in the Kay Wah School there are ample vacant places. I want to tell the Minister that at present there are more than 60 students registered in Kay Wah School but who have not been accommodated in classrooms. The school has applied for an extension of its classrooms, but the Ministry has rejected the application. May I ask the Minister how he intends to solve this classroom problem?

Mr Yong Nyuk Lin: I am afraid, Mr Speaker, that the Member for Choa Chu Kang has been misinformed. The application for extension of classrooms to take in 67 pupils for next year has been approved. Either he has just been misinformed or he is rather behind in the news passed on to him.