Sekolah Menengah Citizen

About Citizen Middle School

Citizen Middle School (公民中学) is a Chinese Independent High School in Sibu, Sarawak. It started classes in 1960 and is one of 14 such schools in the state that teach mainly in Mandarin and prepare students for the Unified Examination Certificate. The school sits in central Sarawak on the Rajang River, an area with a long settlement history among Chinese-speaking communities and several Chinese-medium schools.

The school’s purpose is to carry forward Chinese-language secondary education while keeping students fluent in Malaysia’s other main languages. Mandarin is the medium of instruction, and Bahasa Melayu is a compulsory subject, as it is in every school in the country. English is also taught throughout the programme.

Curriculum at Citizen Middle School

Citizen Middle School follows the Chinese Independent High School curriculum across six years: Junior Middle 1 to 3 and Senior Middle 1 to 3. The exit qualification is the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), a syllabus and examination set by the United Chinese School Committees Association of Malaysia (UCSCAM), known as Dong Zong. The UEC is recognised by many universities in Malaysia and overseas.

The school operates a dual-track system. The UEC is the main pathway and every student sits for it. The national SPM examination is offered as an option for students who also want a government-recognised certificate. Mandarin remains the medium of instruction, with Bahasa Melayu compulsory and English taught as a subject, so graduates leave with working command of three languages.

Fees at Citizen Middle School

Citizen Middle School keeps entry costs low for new students. New Form 1 (Junior Middle 1) entrants pay no tuition fee. They also receive an enrolment encouragement grant of RM 600 and textbook loans that cover all years of study. These measures reduce the upfront cost of starting at the school.

Chinese Independent High Schools in Malaysia generally run on modest fees, often in the range of about RM 3,000 to RM 12,000 per year depending on the school and year level, supported by community donations and, in Sarawak, by state grants. Because charges for higher year levels and other items change over time, families should contact the school office in Sibu on 019-8341392 for the current fee schedule.

Admissions at Citizen Middle School

Entry to Citizen Middle School is at Junior Middle 1, usually after a pupil completes Chinese-medium primary schooling. Families enquire directly with the school office about intake dates, entry tests where applicable, and the documents needed for registration. The free Form 1 tuition, the RM 600 enrolment grant, and textbook loans apply to new Junior Middle 1 students.

For admissions and general enquiries, contact the school at 019-8341392 or write to P.O. Box 9031, 96000 Sibu, Sarawak.

Citizen Middle School in Sarawak

Citizen Middle School is one of 14 Chinese Independent High Schools in Sarawak, several of which are in Sibu. Sarawak has been the most supportive state in Malaysia for these schools: it was the first state to recognise the UEC, in 2014, and has given annual grants to all 14 schools since that year. Eligible UEC graduates from Sarawak are set to gain free places at state-owned higher learning institutions from 2026, which makes the UEC pathway at Citizen Middle School a practical route to further study within the state.

Sibu, on the Rajang River in central Sarawak, is one of the state’s main towns and a long-standing centre of Chinese education. Contact the school at 019-8341392.