DILEMA PENDIDIKAN KANAK-KANAK ROHINGYA DI MALAYSIA: SATU TINJAUAN AWAL

Malaysia menjadi negara tumpuan bagi kebanyakan pelarian dan pencari suaka khususnya Rohingya demi mendapatkan perlindungan keselamatan. Jumlah populasi etnik Rohingya di Malaysia semakin meningkat dari tahun ke tahun berdasarkan statistik yang dikeluarkan United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). Namun, kehidupan mereka di Malaysia tidak jauh bezanya dengan negara transit yang lain kerana perlu berhadapan dengan pelbagai cabaran dalam meneruskan kehidupan sebagai pelarian. Tidak dinafikan kemasukan golongan pelarian ini telah menyumbang kepada peningkatan kadar jenayah di Malaysia ekoran daripada tekanan hidup yang dihadapi, selain tidak mempunyai peluang pekerjaan dan tidak mendapatkan akses pendidikan yang sewajarnya. Situasi ini menimbulkan kebimbangan pelbagai pihak sekiranya kanak-kanak pelarian berterusan tidak berpeluang mendapatkan pendidikan formal. Hal ini disebabkan golongan ini mudah dieksploitasi oleh pihak tertentu untuk terlibat dalam jenayah di samping terlibat dalam masalah sosial yang lain. Maka, pendidikan kanak-kanak Rohingya dilihat sangat penting demi pembangunan potensi individu secara menyeluruh agar mampu mendepani cabaran pada masa akan datang sekiranya dihantar pulang ke negara asal atau ditempatkan di negara ketiga. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk meneliti situasi kehidupan etnik Rohingya di Malaysia di samping mengenal pasti peranan dan cabaran Badan Bukan Kerajaan (NGO) dan Pusat Bimbingan Alternatif (PBA) dalam menyediakan pendidikan masyarakat pelarian Rohingya. Kajian berbentuk kualitatif ini bersumberkan rujukan primer dan sekunder daripada buku-buku, artikel jurnal, tesis dan laporan antarabangsa. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan gambaran situasi semasa pendidikan kanak-kanak Rohingya di Malaysia.UNHCR dan NGO berperanan dalam menyediakan pendidikan yang sewajarnya kepada golongan pelarian melalui PBA. Namun begitu, terdapat cabaran yang wujud dalam usaha memperkasakan pendidikan masyarakat seperti peruntukan dan pengoperasian pusat pembelajaran, pengekalan dan kualiti kakitangan, masalah komunikasi dalam kalangan pelajar, masalah dalaman dan budaya masyarakat Rohingya.   Malaysia has become a focus country for most refugees andasylum seekers, especially the Rohingya, to seek for protection and security. The number of Rohingya ethnic population in Malaysia has been increasing from year to year based on statistics released by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). However, their livesin Malaysia are not different from other transit countries because they have to face various challenges in continuing their lives as refugees. There is no doubt that the influx of refugees has contributed to the increase in crime rates in Malaysia due to the pressures of life other than not having employment opportunities and not getting access to proper education. This situation raises concerns of various parties if refugee children continue to have no opportunity to get formal education. This is because this group is easily exploited by certain parties to be involved in crime, in addition to being involved in other social problems. Therefore, it is seen that the education of Rohingya children is very important for the development of individual potential as a whole, in order to be able to face challenges in the future if they were sent back to their country of origin or placed in athird country. This study aims to examine the situation of life of Rohingya refugees in Malaysia as well as to identify the roles and challenges in providing education for the Rohingya refugees. This qualitative research involved primary and secondary references such as sources from books,journal articles, thesis and international report. The findings reveal that the current situation of Rohingya children’s education in Malaysia. UNHCR and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) play a role in providing appropriate education to refugees through the PBA. However, there are challenges that exist in efforts to strengthen the community education, such as the provision and operation of learning centers, retention and quality of staff, communication problems among students, internal problems and the culture of the Rohingya community.