Perubahan Kemasukan Pelajar Cina Thailand dalam Sejarah Pendidikan Cina di Pulau Pinang, 1957-1967 (Changes of Thai Chinese Students Enrolment in the History of Chinese Education in Penang, 1957-1967)

Abstract

This article examines the changes of Thai Chinese students’ enrolment in the history of Chinese education in Penang from 1957 to 1967, based on statistical analysis on the number of students from the school graduation magazines of Han Chiang High School and Chung Ling High School. After The Second World War (1939-1945), Chinese education with its Chinese language was often associated with the spread of communism, affecting the relationships with Southeast Asian countries. Malaysia and Thailand adopted different policies for Chinese education. The goal of Chinese education in Malaysia was to establish a national mother tongue education system, while Thailand viewed the Chinese language as a useful foreign language. This study reveals that Thai Chinese had different reasons and their numbers varied in pursuing Chinese education in Penang during different periods. By comparing the number of Chinese students in Thailand in their annual graduation reports for two schools from 1948 to 1956 and from 1957 to 1967, the objective of this study is to identify the decline in the enrolment of Thailand Chinese students in Chinese education history in Penang from 1957 to 1967 and the contributing factors. There are two findings regarding the enrolment of Chinese students from Thailand from 1957 to 1967. Firstly, there were still Chinese students studying in Penang during this period, but their numbers were decreasing. This decline was attributed to the continued success of the Thai cultural assimilation policy, where the values of the Thai and English languages were perceived to be higher than the Chinese language among Chinese students in Thailand during this period. Secondly, most Thai students coming to Penang were inclined to choose Han Chiang High School, which did not undergo educational system reforms. This study also found out that this change was closely related to the Chinese education policy in Malaysia during that time. All these factors have influenced the decisions and choices of Chinese students from Thailand in pursuing Chinese education in Penang during that period.