PETALING JAYA: Pupils and teachers from SK Assumption, Penang will be sent to other nearby schools after the end of the 2021/2022 academic year.

       This comes after the company which owned the land, Syarikat Sri Avenue Sdn. Bhd, sold it to a third party on Nov 3 last year.

       The Education Ministry said they had been asked to vacate the building and land as soon as possible.

       "As the school building and site belong to Syarikat Sri Avenue Sdn. Bhd., the Ministry has decided to move the pupils and teachers to other nearby schools," it said in a statement on Monday (Jan 24).

       "Taking into account the ongoing school session, the ministry has requested for a postponement of the evacuation of the school building and site until the end of Term Three of the 2021/2022 academic year in March," it added.

       The Ministry said that SK Assumption is a government-aided school that had been operating on the land owned by Syarikat Sri Avenue Sdn. Bhd since 2008.

       It added that it made the decision to move the staff and pupils to five other schools located 0.35km to 5.8km away, based on a few reasons.

       The Ministry said that one reason is the declining enrolment at the school which stands at 53 pupils right now.

       It added that the move would also mean a more efficient use of manpower with the relocation of 15 teachers and two support staff to the other schools.

       The selected schools are SK Kuala Perai, SK Sungai Nyior, SK St Mark in Butterworth, SK Khir Johari, and SK St Mark in Perai.

       The Ministry also said it would assist parents with the admission of their children to the new schools for the 2022/2023 academic year.

       SK Assumption was established as a missionary school in 1933 on Jalan New Ferry.