KUCHING, Feb 22: All sectors of society should help the government and schools in ensuring that stateless children in Sarawak who have dropped out due to absence of proper identification documents return to schools.
Sarawak Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) deputy chairman Abun Sui Anyit made this call as he welcomed the announcement by Minister of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah that stateless children in Sarawak who have applied to National Registration Department (NRD) for citizenship will be able to attend school when the new academic year starts next month.
“This is good news that we hoped for when I suggested that children without proper identification documents be allowed to enroll in public schools.
“Parents with children who have dropped out of school due to citizenship issues are encouraged to contact any PKR branch throughout Sarawak to facilitate the re-admission of their children in public schools,” he said in a statement today.
Abun Sui also urged the Ministry of Education to issue an appropriate circular on the matter to relevant departments and agencies so as to ensure smooth re-enrollment for affected children to continue their schooling.
Earlier today, Fatimah said stateless children who have applied for citizenship can use the reference number given by the NRD for their applications to enter school as well as gain access to government health facilities.
She said Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail had issued two letters addressed to the Sarawak Education and Health directors on this matter.
Fatimah added that her ministry would be presenting temporary documents to 75 stateless children before the start of the new school year.
The Sarawak government decided last year to issue temporary documents to stateless individuals aged 21 and below while they wait for their citizenship applications to be approved. — DayakDaily
