PUTRAJAYA, 10 Mac (Bernama) — Penafian hak asasi kanak-kanak yang belajar di Sekolah Agama Rakyat bagi mendapatkan pendidikan yang sama taraf seperti yang dinikmati kanak-kanak di sekolah-sekolah kerajaan bercanggah dengan triti antarabangsa dan peruntukan Perlembagaan.

Pusat Penyelidikan dan Advokasi Hak Asasi Manusia di Malaysia, dalam satu kenyataan di sini hari ini berkata kanak-kanak terbabit meliputi mereka yang belajar di sekolah-sekolah agama swasta, tahfiz, madrasah, pondok dan Kelas Al-Quran dan Fardu Ain (KAFA).

Penafian ini jelas bercanggah dengan Triti Antarabangsa Mengenai Konvensi Hak-Hak Kanak-Kanak yang telah diratifikasi Malaysia pada 17 Feb 1995 selain bercanggah dengan peruntukan-peruntukan khusus untuk kanak-kanak Islam dan sekolah-sekolah agama yang termaktub dalam Perlembagaan Malaysia.

“Walaupun perkara ini telah lama berlaku dan sering diperkatakan, namun sehingga kini masih belum ada usaha-usaha tuntas dan bersepadu daripada pihak Birokrasi Pendidikan Negara bagi menyelesaikannya,” kata kenyataan itu lagi.

Lebih mengecewakan, masih terdapat amalan diskriminasi terhadap kanak-kanak dan Sekolah Agama Rakyat yang dilakukan oleh para pentadbir Birokrasi Pendidikan khususnya di peringkat negeri dan daerah.

Ini terutamanya dalam memberi peluang dan ruang yang sama bagi mendapat akses dan kemudahan yang dinikmati oleh kanak-kanak dan sekolah-sekolah kerajaan.

“Adalah lebih munasabah demi masa depan negara dalam menghadapi cabaran globalisasi dan persaingan antarabangsa, Sekolah Agama Rakyat diterima sebagai rakan strategik dalam pembangunan negara dan bukan pesaing bagi memastikan sumber manusia yang dihasilkan melalui sistem pendidikan alternatif ini dimanfaatkan untuk kemaslahatan negara,” kata kenyataan itu.

— BERNAMA . Petikan di ambil dari http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v8/bm/ge/newsgeneral.php?id=1223907

English Version

Denial Of Rights Of Religious School Children Contradicts International Treaty – Advocacy Group

PUTRAJAYA, March 10 (Bernama) — Denial of rights of children studying in Sekolah Agama Rakyat (SAR) to obtain the same level of education enjoyed by children in government schools contradicts an international treaty and the provisions of the Constitution, according to an advocacy group.

The Centre for Human Rights Research and Advocacy in Malaysia in a statement here today, said the children affected include those studying in private religious schools, tahfiz, madrasas, ‘pondok’ and Al-Quran and Fardu Ain (KAFA) classes.

This denial clearly contradicts the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which was ratified by Malaysia on Feb 17, 1995, besides contradicting specific provisions for Muslim children and religious schools enshrined in the Constitution of Malaysia, it said.

“Although this has been going on for years and has often been talked about, but until now there has been no comprehensive and integrated efforts to resolve this,” the statement said.

More disappointing, it said there was still discriminatory practices against children and Sekolah Agama Rakyat made by administrators of the education bureaucracy, especially at the state and district levels.

“This is mainly to give the same opportunity and space to gain access and facilities enjoyed by children in government schools.

“It will be reasonable for the future of the country in facing the challenges of globalisation and to be internationally competitive, if the Sekolah Agama Rakyat is accepted as a strategic partner in the development of the country and not a competitor, to ensure that human resources generated through the alternative education system is harnessed for the benefit of the country,” the statement added.

— BERNAMA. News taken from http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v8/ge/newsgeneral.php?id=1224004