But there is no lack of pupils from other races joining SJKC Kong Aik in Mata Ayer, Bernama reported.

Headmistress Leong Yong Siang said Year One enrolment for the new school session recorded 13 Malays, nine Siamese and one Indian.

Leong said the total number of pupils at the school was now 190, with Malays being the highest at 93.

“The school has 17 teachers, including three female religious teachers and one male religious teacher who teach Islamic studies to Muslim pupils,” she said during a visit by Perlis education director Rose Aza Che Arifin to the school today.

Rose Aza said the trend of increasing non-Chinese student enrolment in SJKCs could be observed in several Chinese-medium schools in Perlis.

This was partly due to demographic factors and parents’ interest in Mandarin language education offered at these schools.