# SJK(C) Puay Chai

Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan (Cina) Puay Chai or also called SJK(C) Puay Chai is a Chinese-type national primary school located in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.

## History
### 1923–1941

The school first opened on February 22, 1923, with the first batch of students was about 30 students. The chairman was Yang Jing Hao and the first headmaster was Huang Shi Qing. On the same year both the chairman and the headmaster moved back to China thus the board of directors appointed Huang Bo Song as the chairman and Lei Ling Yun as the headmaster of the school, by that point the school had more than 60 students. On 1925, Lei Ling Yun passed away due to an illness, thus made the former headmaster, Huang Shi Qing to return from southern China to take control over the school again. In 1926, from accepting students from other places, the number of students rose and caused an insufficient number of classrooms. In 1929, Huang Shi Qing resigned to do business and made Chen Xue Ding the next headmaster. On 1930, the school moved to the Chaozhou Eight Districts Association Building on Ampang Road. In 1936, Mai Hong Quan became the headmaster of the school. On 1941, Japan occupied Malaya and the school classes were suspended.

### 1945–1957

In September 1945, Japan surrendered and thus ended World War 2. By October 10 on the same year, the school had officially resumed operations. Mass numbers of students came, but there were not enough classrooms to accommodate all of them, thus it was divided to both morning, afternoon and night classes. At that time, the number of students had grown to more than 500. In 1952, Zheng Ze Min donated two acres of land to make it as the school site, but due to it being to close to the Malay reserve it could not be approved. Thus he had to find a place elsewhere. Soon, he bought a building at No. 1 Ceylone Lane for RM50,000 and after renovation converted it into a school building, he also purchased a school bus and moved all operations to the new school building, by that point the school had more than 700 students. Although the school was divided to both morning and afternoon classes, the classrooms were still insufficient, so some students stayed in the club hall to attend classes temporarily. In 1955, the school added a double-story building to the school and made all the students who were studying at the club hall move back to the main school. In the same year, the headmaster Lin Can Tian retired and was succeeded by Mei Hong Bao. After Malay gained independence on 1957, the entire board of directors was reorganized.

### 1957–1980

In 1961, the number of students was well over 800, and the schools classes was 20. In 1975, due to a development on the surrounding area of the school, many residents were forced to move away and made the number of students decrease dramatically, the school had only about 180 students by then. In 1978, the number of students rose to more than 200. In the same year, the committee was established headed by Datuk Zhang Si Qing to find a suitable place to reestablish the school since it was restricted by the environment.

### 1980–2000

In 1980, the school had found land that was more than three acres in the SS2 area, the government approved and subsidized the construction cost of 100,000 yuan. In 1983, the new school building was officially opened. That year, more than 250 first-year students joined the school with a total of six classes, the headmaster was Luo Jin Hong. In 1986, the number of students had increased to more than 1000 students with Chen Shu Biao becoming headmaster. In 1994, many fundraisers happened for the construction of a five-story administrative building. In October of the same year, Chen Shu Biao retired making Liu Yong Sheng headmaster in November. In 1995, the government gave funds to the school to build a third building, which was completed and put to use. At the same time, the administrative building construction was completed and put into use in early 1996. On November 19, the board of directors and the PTA immediately began rebuilding and replanting the destroyed grassland after it was heavily destroyed by a construction project, they built a canopy as a waiting area for both students and parents. After headmaster Liu Yong Sheng retired in 1996, the former vice headmaster, Zhong Rui Ming temporary controlled the school until January 16, 1997, when Yang Lian Fa was appointed as headmaster. At the same time, the former vice-headmaster was also promoted to headmaster and moved to another school. A series of the school campus beautification projects started and ended at the end of 1997, with the projects being a success. On October 31, 1998, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the school and Teacher's Day, a banquet for a 1000 people was held to raise funds for an additional four-story-building which was later changed to a five-story-building with a net worth of $1.2 million. After many generous donations, the school had earned enough funds and used the remaining funds to provide the auditorium with air-conditioning. Due to the increase of new students, who were rejected, reaching into the hundreds, on September 13, 1994, the board of directors applied to the Ministry of Education to build a second school in Bandar Utama but there was no follow-up. Two years later, the school again presented the request. On September 20, 1999, the then Minister of Education Datuk Seri Najib in a letter to then Minister of Human Resources, Datuk Lim Ah Lee, indicated that nine Chinese primary school and two Vision schools were approved with Puay Chai being one of them. The school then started building four three-story-buildings on a six-acre lot in BU3, Bandar Utama.

### 2000–2010

On January 3, 2001, the second school called SJK(C) Puay Chai 2 finally opened. On September 10, 2001, headmaster Yang Lian Fa officially retired and Chen Shu Yun took charge as headmaster. He actively promoted environmental awareness and greening campaigns and also promoted love education that eventually shaped the school into a loving school. On December 16, 2004, headmaster Chen Shu Yun was transferred to SJK(C) Yuk Kwan to take charge while Zhong Rui Ming took charge as headmaster. He was formally the vice-headmaster and once the acting principal of the school. He cooperated with the school's board of directors and PTA to actively promote school affairs. In 2005, with cooperation with three organizations he opened the Dato Huang Jia Ding Lecture Hall located at the fifth floor of the fourth school building. In addition, all classrooms were equipped with ACs, computers and projectors, the PTA also installed three drinking fountains to the school. The canteen was also rebuilt and a computer room was built on top of the new canteen. The board of directors upgraded the toilets for teacher and staff and also increased the number of toilets from two to eight. On August 18, 2006, the school officially opened the new canteen and computer room. The PTA conducted a charity sale which raised a total of RM190,000, exceeding the expected goal. The school then used the money to upgrade the male and female toilets. On 2007, the PTA launched a greening campus activity and upgraded the basketball court and the football field. Before retiring, headmaster Zhong Rui Ming conducted an entertainment dinner so that the students could show their talents on stage and also raise funds for the school. On November 21, 2007, Zhong Rui Ming and Xie Jia Song took office for headmaster. On January 3, 2008, the school was visited by the then Minister of Education, Dato Sri Hishammuddin accompanied by the Director of the Selangor Education Department, Datin Hamida and the Director of Education, Dato Alimuddin. By the end of 2008, the Ministry of Education allocated funds to renovate the roof of Block A. On October 25, 2009, the school hosted a "Top Ten Charity Show" to raise funds for a multi-purpose basketball court. In 2010, the school expanded the basketball court and completed it. On March 24, 2010, Dato Sri Dr. Chua Soi Lek was at the opening ceremony to open the new basketball court. It also upgraded and widened the corridor and the school gate which was completed in early July.

### 2010–2020

In the end of March 2011, the air-conditioning project of the upgraded auditorium was completed. On July 1, 2012, the PTA of the school, with the cooperation of the board of directors, the Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Teochew Association and all teachers and students, hosted a carnival and successfully raised funds for upgrading smart classrooms. The upgrading project began during the year-end holiday. On February 23, 2013, the smart classroom was opened but it was not fully opened until March. In 2013, the school held a series of activities for the 90th anniversary of the school, which included cross-country running, the "Chaowei Food for Puay Chai" carnival, sports meeting, school anniversary dinner and music evening. At the end of 2013, the office was renovated. During 2014 year-end holiday, the teacher's office was fully renovated with old equipment being replaced with new equipment. On October 23, 2015, the school's board of directors, parents and teachers, together with the Royal Group and Nanyang Press Group, held the "Top Ten Charity Dinner" in order to prepare for the implementation of a full morning class. In March 2017, headmaster Xie Jia Song retired and made Feng Yu Ying headmaster of the school. In 2020, COVID-19 had erupted and caused an outbreak, with this the school started online classes. In August 2020, headmaster Feng Yu Ying left the school after being promoted and Yang Jin Feng became the new headmaster on August 28.

### 2021–present

On 2021, Puay Chai was chosen to be one of the schools in the 2025 School Transformation Program (TS25). On February 17, 2023, the school celebrated its 100th Year Anniversary.