Educators strive to keep alternative schools open for stateless children in Malaysia
Around 300,000 marginalized kids stereotyped as ‘rowdy street children’ face barriers to education
KOTA KINABALU, Malaysia (MNTV) – In the Malaysian state of Sabah, an estimated 300,000 marginalized children, often stereotyped as “rowdy street kids,” are denied access to formal education.
Many are accused of begging, sniffing glue, or engaging in disruptive behavior.
Recognizing the dire need for structure in their lives, Marilou Salgatar Chin took action in 2012. Chin, who runs an employment agency, founded Stairway to Hope, a school for underprivileged children.
“I see them every day,” Chin told Malay Mail.
“With no structure, they turn to unhealthy distractions and, eventually, crime or prostitution. This is not the life I want for them,” she said.
The school, initially located in Kampung Kalasanan, teaches 250 to 500 children annually. Despite repeated threats of closure, Chin persevered.
“We were threatened with closure multiple times. I asked, ‘Is it a crime to provide education to children?’” she said.
The Education Ministry eventually granted the school a licence, but only as a “tuition centre.”
Stairway to Hope is one of hundreds of alternative learning centres (ALCs) in Sabah, operating without official recognition as schools.
A Unicef study conducted between 2016 and 2017 identified 170 ALCs in Sabah. However, experts estimate the actual number to be closer to 400.
These centres range from small community-run classes to schools sponsored by Indonesia, serving mostly non-citizen children and bypassing Malaysia’s national syllabus.
A 2002 amendment to the Education Act 1996 restricted government school enrolment to children with valid documentation.
This left many stateless and undocumented children without access to formal education.
Although a 2019 policy allowed primary school enrolment for undocumented children with one Malaysian parent, those with foreign parents remain excluded.
“Sabah used to be more lenient, allowing non-citizen children to attend public schools if their parents had valid passports or were sponsored by Malaysians. But they had to pay higher fees and renew their applications yearly,” said Anne Baltazar, founder of Advocates for Non-discrimination and Access to Knowledge (ANAK).
Families also struggle with costs for textbooks, uniforms, and transportation, further pushing children out of school.
“These kids often feel ostracized and eventually drop out,” added Kathryn Rivai, founder of Etania Schools.
Efforts like ALCs highlight the ongoing battle to provide education to Sabah’s most vulnerable children, ensuring they have a chance at a better future.
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