Chinese Malaysians have thrived to maintain their language and culture through Chinese schools including both Independent Chinese Secondary Schools and National-type Chinese Secondary Schools, which is an indication of strong Chinese identity. This paper adopts the models of identity management and language management to discuss the relationship between Chinese identity, the management of Mandarin, and Chinese education, taking four Chinese schools in Penang as examples. The main purpose is to analyze how these Chinese schools strengthen students’ Chinese identity through language management (mainly Mandarin). The results of interviews administered among school authorities, teachers and students show that the Chinese identity in both types of schools is closely associated with language planning towards Mandarin. Moreover, teachers and students hold similar views towards the importance of Mandarin and its significance to Chinese identity. Besides, the management of Chinese identity through Mandarin by Chinese schools complies with the norm of identity in Malaysian Chinese community.
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