Follow Bangladesh’s lead, let refugee kids attend schools, Putrajaya told

There have been calls to give refugee children access to the national syllabus by integrating them into local schools. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Human rights group Tenaganita has called on Putrajaya to follow Bangladesh’s lead after Dhaka announced that Rohingya children living in refugee camps would be allowed to receive a formal education.

Tenaganita executive director Glorene Das said this was a wake-up call for the government since Bangladesh’s refugee population was five times the size of Malaysia’s.

“If Bangladesh can invest in supporting the education of children there, it’s a shame for our government to continue denying the ones here, allowing a generation of children in Malaysia to continue living in limbo,” she told FMT.

She urged Putrajaya to give refugee children access to the national syllabus by integrating them into local schools, adding that it was also to prevent further division in society.

“The government keeps stalling in hopes that they will be repatriated or resettled out of the country, but the reality is that they’d be here for many years to come,” she said.

Das said education was not only an essential human right, but it would also give refugee children the platform to rebuild their lives and lift their families from poverty.

She added that education would also enable these children to contribute to the economic development of the country.

“Aside from that, integrating refugees into the Malaysian society, even if just partially, would reinforce our Malaysian values of a harmonious society of an incredibly diverse country.”

Hasnah Hussin, a volunteer at Tenaganita and a refugee community leader, echoed Das’ call, stressing that the opportunity for education gives children the ability to develop themselves and benefit their local society.

“Some years ago, the Malaysian government did give the opportunity for some of us to pursue our education in public schools but we don’t know why they stopped the enrolment of refugee children.

“It was very devastating to many parents and children,” she said.

On Jan 28, it was reported that the Bangladeshi government had decided to allow the children living in refugee camps to receive an education.

The syllabus will be according to the Myanmar education curriculum, jointly designed by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) and Dhaka. -FMT