Wednesday July 21, 2010
Muhyiddin: Kids without papers will get access to education

KUALA LUMPUR: Children without valid personal identification papers can still have access to education in Malaysia, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said.

He said Malaysian, foreign and stateless children should be provided with education as long as they fulfilled the requirement stated in the Education Ministry’s circular dated March 11, 2009.

“The move complied with the Convention on the Rights of Children, which stated that stateless children have a right to basic education,” he told Senator Noriah Mahat at Dewan Negara.

Muhyiddin, who is Education Minister, said the 2009 circular stated that a child without personal documents can register at a government school or a government-aided school if one of his parents is a Malaysian citizen.

However, the request must be approved by a supporting letter from a village head, he added.

For undocumented foreign children, Muhyiddin said the ministry provided an alternative programme on reading, writing and arithmetic, which is beyond the scope of the national education system. The

Government, Muhyiddin said, welcomed the initiative by NGOs and private bodies to provide an alternative education programme for stateless children.

“However, the implementation of this programme must be monitored closely so that its objective is in line with the National Education Philosophy. The Edu­cation Ministry should act as a

coordinating agency so that the stateless and undocumented children will be inculcated with the spirit of love and loyalty to this country, which has given them shelter,” he said.

Muhyiddin said the Govern­ment must explain this to deflect criticism from the international community that Malaysia did not provide adequate educational opportunities for children.

He called on more non-governmental organisations and the private sector to work with the Government to provide more educational programmes for stateless children.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/7/21/nation/6705900&sec=nation