KUALA LUMPUR – A 13-year-old was denied registration in a public school in Petaling Jaya yesterday despite having documentary proof of the child’s Malaysian citizenship.
The reason for the rejection? The student’s parents do not have a marriage certificate as they only had a ceremonial wedding.
The plight of the family, one of many such cases reported over the years, was highlighted by Bukit Gasing assemblyman Rajiv Rishyakaran.
In a statement today, Rajiv expressed his disappointment at such a “burdensome and unnecessary” requirement that is bound to cause children from low-income families to be deprived of access to education.
He said it was common for most families from the low-income group not to register their marriages, but added that, in most cases, their children would still have a legitimate birth certificate and a MyKid or MyKad.
“So, why is there still a need for parents to show their marriage certificate in order to enrol their child in school?
“If the Education Ministry is serious about the ‘no child left behind’ policy, then shouldn’t the process of enrolment, including the documents required, be made simpler and easier?
“Instead of enabling, the enrolment procedure seems to be playing on bureaucracy and unnecessary red tape,” he said.
Rajiv said in the current case he is handling, the father of the child had contacted him for assistance after being turned away by the school.
Acting promptly on the complaint, Rajiv then contacted the district education office, and was informed that the parents needed to make a statutory declaration in place of a marriage certificate.
“I urge the Education Ministry to do away with such unnecessary requirements and place the priority on easy enrolment for the sake of our children’s education.” – The Vibes, December 30, 2020
