KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 5 (Sin Chew Daily) — In a move to support Chinese independent high schools in the country, the Embassy of China will be offering 57 scholarships to students from 23 Chinese independent high schools to study in China.

The scholarships are offered to ten Chinese independent schools in Johor, one in Melaka, two in Negeri Sembilan, four in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor respectively, and one in Kelantan and Pahang respectively.

Ambassador Ouyang Yujing made the announcement during a virtual dialogue with the Association of Graduate Universities and Colleges in China Malaysia, the United Chinese School Committees’ Association of Malaysia and the United Chinese Schools Teachers’ Association.

For several hundred years, dedicated Chinese Malaysians and Chinese education groups in Malaysia have contributed to the development of Chinese language education here.

Ouyang said he was grateful to the dedication and contribution made by the United Chinese School Committees’ Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong), the United Chinese Schools Teachers’ Association (Jiao Zong) and Chinese community in promoting Chinese language education.

He hoped Chinese education groups would maintain regular discussions to improve Chinese language education as well as enhancing educational collaboration and interactions between China and Malaysia.

Dong Zong president Tan Tai Kim thanked the Embassy of China for donating 71,000 face masks to Dong Zong and Chinese independent schools during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The embassy also worked with Sin Chew Daily to assist poor Chinese independent high school students in Peninsula Malaysia unable to pay for their tuition fees due to the pandemic.

Tan said he was looking forward to the embassy extending support to groom Chinese independent school teachers through collaboration with high schools in China.

Jiao Zong president Cheah Lek Aee said the training of Chinese primary school teachers was able to be carried out due to the long-term support from the embassy.

Bock Chek Lim, president of the Association of Graduate Universities and Colleges in China Malaysia, said Malaysian students studying in China had been unable to resume their studies at Chinese universities due to the pandemic.

Bock urged the embassy to assist Malaysian students especially those graduating soon by allowing them to return to China to complete their studies through special channels.