There are 528 Tamil school (SJKT) that is still in operation in Malaysia, with total enrolment of 78,501 students as of 31st May 2026. This was said by the Education Minister YB Wong Kah Woh at Dewan Rakyat.
He said Ministry of Education (MOE) is committed to strengthen Tamil language education and supporting Tamil schools through initiatives.
Tamil Language Education Remains a Priority
YB Wong said Tamil language will continue to be part of SPM exams and remains as one of the language subjects provided by the Examinations Syndicate.
He added that students who studies in school that do not offer Tamil are still allowed to sit for the subject in SPM, as they meet the exam registration requirements.
According to YB Wong, the ministry is working to strengthen Tamil language education through the implementation of the 2027 School Curriculum, which is improvements in teaching and learning, support for Tamil Literature, and continued assistance to SJKTs nationwide.
Strong Support for Tamil Schools
The ministry continues to support SJKTs by improving infrastructure and teacher development programmes. YB Wong also said efforts are made to make sure schools have enough qualified Tamil language teachers.
Currently, SJKTs require 1,334 Tamil language teachers, and the current staffs are 1,773 teachers. For secondary schools, the requirement is 584 teachers, and now there are 648 teachers.
Focus on Johor Tamil Schools
In Johor, there are 71 Tamil schools with 12,906 students, while the district alone has 15 Tamil schools with 7,840 students.
Among the school with high enrollment are:
SJKT Taman Tun Aminah (1,529 students)
SJKT Ladang Rini (1,055 students)
SJKT Jalan Yahya Awal (890 students)
SJKT Masai (768 students)
YB Wong also said ongoing infrastructure projects are going on, including SJKT Kulai Besar and SJKT Ladang Rini. New facilities are expected to accommodate have additional 200 to 300 students.
Addressing Under-Enrolled Schools
To address the challenges faced by Tamil schools with low enrolment, the ministry introduced measures like multi-grade classes, school relocations and retaining schools based on local community needs.
As of May 31st 2026, 135 under-enrolled SJKTs nationwide has multi-grade classes, and 36 schools have been approved for relocation. YB Wong said public exam grades will be seen through professional assessment process based on students performance and curriculum standards, and not influenced by quotas or target percentage.
Sources: Bernama
