The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) urged the government to establish more Sekolah Bimbingan Jalinan Kasih (SBJK) to provide undocumented children with access to education and a radiant future in the country. According to Suhakam Commissioner, Professor Datuk Noor Aziah Mohd Awal, the subsequent step for refugee and stateless children in Malaysia would be to allow them to pursue higher education. She made this statement during a news conference after the launch of a policy "Realising the Rights of Education for Refugee and Stateless Children in Malaysia".
"The Education Ministry has introduced the Special Class for Students Without Documents (SBJK). It is expected that this initiative can be raised to provide better opportunities for undocumented children, enabling them to pursue higher education. Currently, there is only one SBJK in the entire country, located in Chow Kit, which is in the heart of the national capital". Noor Aziah questions, why only Kuala Lumpur has SBJK and urges that the ministry should consider establishing similar classes in other states too.
During a news conference, Suhakam child commissioner Farah Nini Dusuki stated that SBJKs are crucial for undocumented children because they follow the official syllabus prepared by the Education Ministry. In contrast, other schools available to undocumented children do not adhere to the official curriculum and are also more expensive as they are private. She further added that when the curriculum is not integrated, it becomes difficult for these children to pursue their education to a higher level. She emphasized that the ultimate goal is to ensure that all children are eligible for public schools.
