“How can 6yo’s safety be guaranteed in rural Sabah, S’wak?” activist questions age-six school entry

Peter John Jaban

By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, Jan 22: “How can the safety of six-year-old children in the interior of Sabah and Sarawak be guaranteed?” Sarawak rights activist Peter John Jaban asked, raising concerns over the federal government’s move to standardise Standard One entry at the age of six.

In a press statement issued today, Peter John said the proposed policy must be assessed in light of the realities faced by East Malaysia, stressing that Sabah and Sarawak are not comparable to Peninsular Malaysia due to their unique geographical, social, and developmental conditions, which are safeguarded under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

He said any national education policy that ignores these realities runs contrary to the spirit and intent of MA63, which guarantees both states special safeguards and flexibility in education matters.

“Sabah and Sarawak are not the same as Peninsular Malaysia,” he said, adding that autonomy and policy flexibility were assured under MA63 to reflect regional differences.

According to Peter John, large parts of Sabah and Sarawak remain rural and remote, with many communities still lacking proper roads, reliable bus or boat services, and in some cases a primary school within safe and reasonable reach.

“Children are often forced to travel long distances through rivers, forests, and dangerous terrain just to attend school,” he said.

He highlighted the condition of schools in Sarawak, noting that hundreds remain without basic facilities.

“There are 298 schools that remain in a dilapidated condition, 14 primary schools still rely on generators for electricity, and 428 schools do not yet have access to treated clean water,” he said.

In this context, Peter John said enforcing a uniform school entry age raises serious safety concerns, particularly in the absence of adequate hostels, transport assistance, teachers, and properly equipped school facilities in rural and interior areas.

He also questioned whether Sabah and Sarawak would be given the authority to determine school readiness based on local conditions, as envisaged under MA63, rather than being subjected to a centralised, one-size-fits-all policy.

Peter John said the federal government must first repair, upgrade, and fully equip rural schools in Sarawak, including school buildings, safety infrastructure, hostels, transport systems, and teaching resources, before implementing any policy that compels children as young as six to attend school.

“Education reform cannot be imposed through a centralised, one-size-fits-all approach,” he said, adding that genuine reform requires substantial prior investment in infrastructure, rural schools, transport systems, teacher welfare, and basic amenities, particularly in East Malaysia.

He stressed that Sabah and Sarawak do not reject education reform, but oppose reforms that ignore regional realities, child safety, and rights guaranteed under MA63.

“What is rejected is reform that ignores regional realities, child safety, and MA63 rights,” he said, adding that if the federal government is sincere about achieving educational equity, it must first ensure access, safety, functional schools, and regional parity before enforcing uniform age requirements nationwide. — DayakDaily