SJKC Min Sin 明新學校, Relau

Min Sin Primary School (10 February 2013)


Min Sin Primary School (GPS: 5.3318, 100.28229), known today as SRJ (C) Min Sin (Simplified Chinese: 明新学校, Traditional Chinese: 明新學校, Pinyin: Míng Xīn Xuéxiào), is a Chinese primary school in Relau, Penang. The present school building was completed in late 2003, and the first batch of students began classes there in 2004. The late philantropist Aw Boon Haw was a major benefactor in the establishment of the school.

The history of Min Sin Primary School goes back to before 1935, when it began as a voluntary night school established by Min Sin Seah, a Chinese organisation. In July 1935, the executive committee of the school decided that they should expand to include day school, considering the resources are already available.

In 18 July, 1937 the Min Sin Seah employed four teachers and began two classes. It funded the running of the school and charged each student either 20 cents or fifty cents. That same year, Min Sin School absorbed another private Chinese school on Seang Tek Road that was facing financial difficulties. From the resulting merger, Min Sin School emerged with eight classes and a staff of twelve.

By 1938, Min Sin School was unable to cope with the increase in students, so the school added another four classes with six teacher at the Ewe Kongsi in Perak Road. The students continued to increase until the start of the Second World War, when the school was forced to cease operations.

After the end of the Second World War, Min Sin School resumed classes in 1947. The school was located at 70 Seang Tek Road. The school paid the landlord $1,200 and compensated the occupants $800 to relocate. Meanwhile, the Ewe Kongsi established a separate executive committee that led to the founding of the Kheng Tien School.

The school building at 70 Seang Tek Road was in a dilapidated state, so the school executive committee was tasked to find a new location. In late 1963, the school rented premises belonging to the Penang Chinese Girls' School at 65 Macalister Road (the present site of the Penang Sun Yat Sen Centre).

The number of students at Min Sin School increased year after year, peaking at 456 students in 1978. Thereafter, total students began to decline due to the population of George Town moving into the suburbs. This outflow caused the total number of students to drop to only 37 students in 1998, and did not exceed fifty in 2003, the final year that Min Sin School was operating in George Town.

To check the decline in student population, the school executive committee in 1993 made plans to relocate the school to the suburbs. In 1995 the school purchased a piece of land from the late Tan Sri Loh Boon Siew at the generous price. The committee began a building fund to erect the new school building.

Groundbreaking of the new Min Sin School in Relau was carried out on 16 January 2003. Construction progressed at breakneck pace, and the new school complex was completed in just eight months. This enable the new Min Sin Primary School to receive its first batch of students at the start of the 2004 school year, with 263 students starting classes on 5 January of that year.

Sin Min Primary School has continued to add new facilities, including a canteen, playground, CCTV and wireless broadband system. As of 2010, the school has a total of 726 students.

Getting there by bus

The two nearest bus stops are along Jalan Tun Dr Awang, approximately equidistant from the entrance to Min Sin Primary School. They receive Rapid Penang bus 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307, 308, 309 and 401E.

SJKC Min Sin is on the Map of Jalan Tun Dr Awang

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