KUANTAN: There are concerns about the implementation of the government’s move to allow stateless children to enrol in government schools from next year.
Sabai state assemblyman D. Kamache, who is Pakatan Harapan coordinator for the Indian community in Pahang, said since the Education Ministry had given the green light for the move, education departments or schools should be briefed on the matter and lend their assistance in making the process easier.
She said since the new conditions would be implemented in January when the new school term begins, the Ministry should provide a clear set of guidelines on the enrolment so that no one will be deprived the opportunity to complete their formal education.
“It is a highly anticipated announcement by the Pakatan Harapan government but now we need the relevant departments to cooperate. The deputy minister (Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching) has endorsed the decision. so the state and district education departments along with schools have to also play their part.
“If a stateless child goes to school next year hoping to enrol for lessons and is told to return home due to lack of documentation, then who is at fault? To ensure there is no such incident, we hope all related agencies and departments will be able to handle such situations,” she said today.
On Friday, Teo announced that the Ministry would simplify the registration process for pupils without citizenship for admission to government schools.
She said pupils will only need to produce their birth certificates, adoption papers or court order to enrol in government schools, or obtain verification from the community leaders or their people’s representatives.
Meanwhile, Kamache stressed that although Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had assured that permanent residents above the age of 60 with red identity cards would be given citizenship status and issued with the blue card (MyKad), there were still some setbacks.
She said the Home Ministry should brief the National Registration Departments (NRD) offices nationwide on the procedures so that those with such problems would not face a lot of hassle.
“People turn up at the NRD offices thinking the announcement by Dr Mahathir will be adhered to but the NRD offices have yet to receive the new set of instructions...the officer cannot be blamed as they are only following instructions.
“Implementation at the respective government departments and agencies is crucial or else it will be all talk and no action. If nothing changes, then there will be no long-term solutions and we will continue to face such problems,” she said, adding their were 100-odd stateless children in her constituency here.
Meanwhile, rubber tapper K. Ramachandran whose 17-year-old adopted son, R . Ambalagan was told that he could not sit for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examination because he did not have a birth certificate told New Straits Times Press that the ministry should send a circular to all the schools in the country before 2019.
“We have been hearing this over the years but this time the Education ministry has made the documentation process very simple but all schools need to be aware and comply. We do not want stateless children to be denied access to basic education in future,” he said.