PUTRAJAYA: The target of the National Education Development Plan (2013-2025) to recognise 500 as Excellent Cluster Schools (SKK) has been achieved, said Education director-general Datuk Seri Dr Khair Mohamad Yusof.
The target was achieved after 135 schools which met the criteria were recognised as Phase Nine SKK yesterday, bringing the total of schools recognised as SKK in phases since 2007, to 506, he said.
“Not only has the Education Ministry been able to meet the target, it has indeed exceeded it, with 506 schools,” he said in his speech at the Phase Nine SKK recognition ceremony held at the ministry, here yesterday.
Of the 135 schools which were recognised, 29 were secondary schools while 106 were primary schools.
Khair said the number of SKK schools, which were excellent schools that could produce students who were developed holistically in academics, co-curriculum, appearance, made up five per cent of the total 10,000 schools in the country.
“The excellence of the cluster schools will be improved and hopefully they become High Performance Schools,” he said.
As of Phase Eight, a total of 371 schools had been recognised as SKK since it was launched on April 3, 2006.
“I hope each SKK will uphold the educational hopes and aspirations to build individuals with strong national identities.
“As such, the work practices of schools must change with primary attention given to the outcome of students. The financial resources channeled to them must be spent on initiatives with a high impact on students,” he said.
Among the notable schools which were recognised in the Phase Nine SKK were Sekolah Tinggi Muar, Johor; Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Convent Kajang; Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Putrajaya and Sekolah Kebangsaan Cyberjaya. — Bernama