KUALA LUMPUR: The Education Ministry will identify a new mechanism to further smoothen the procedure for the intake of non-Malaysian children at government schools.
Its Deputy Minister, Datuk P. Kamalanathan said the study was in line with the aspiration of the government to ensure all children born in this country were given the opportunity for education.
“We also endeavour to create the opportunity for children whose parents have no documents whatsoever, following the stipulated procedure.
“We will continue to find avenues and opportunities to ensure children in Malaysia are not left behind in education,” he said.
He said this in reply to a supplementary question from Senator Datuk Seri Syed Ibrahim Kader during a question-and-answer session at Dewan Negara here, today who asked the ministry to issue a circular to all schools on the intake of non-Malaysian children in government schools.
Earlier, when replying to a question from Senator Datuk Dr Hou Kok Chung on the policy of the Education Ministry on the intake of offsprings of citizens and non-citizens, Kamalanathan said their admission was based on the Professional Circular Entry 1/2009 of Malaysian Citizens’ Children Without Documents.
“Based on the circular, first, either parent of the child is a Malaysian, secondly, a confirmation letter from a village headman that the child is the offspring of a citizen,” he said.
Pupils who are Malaysian nationals without documents could also get a recommendation letter from the penghulu, Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) chairman or Federal Village Headmen Association (JKKP) to help them to study at government or government-aided schools.
“Their parents must endeavour to get valid self-identification documents from the National Registration Department, after they have been enrolled in a school, to enable them to sit for examinations and to further their studies,” he added. -- BERNAMA