162 Lorraine Pe Symaco
Private and international organizations will also continue to play a
significant role in improving access to education in the country. A key
organization involved is UNICEF, which in 2010 launched a Supplementary
Reading Programme to ensure that children in vulnerable communities
have access to learning resources. Children living in these communities
in Sabah and Sarawak (e.g., migrants, plantation workers, refugees and
the poor) are provided with books of different levels and genre to cater to
the different reading abilities and interest. Approximately, 13,000 students
from ninety schools are involved in this programme, which also provides
remedial activities, story-telling competitions, and reading camps.
UNICEF also collaborates with the Sabah Special Task Force to provide
education for out-of-school children in this state. The Sabah Special Task
Force manages thirty-three gazetted centres for refugees and illegal
immigrants (UNICEF 2012). Education is not provided in most of these
centres, and the few which do tend to have overcrowded classrooms with
poor facilities and a lack of clean water and sanitation. However, the
education centre in Kampung Numbak in Sabah was established in 2011
to cater to refugee and undocumented children. To date, the centre has
over 300 children who otherwise will not be receiving any sort of formal
or non-formal education.
In line with the government’s support to uplift the education sector of
the country, an education transformation plan has been recently proposed
that will improve access, equity, and quality of education for the children
of Malaysia. The transformation plan will take place in thirteen years
(2013–25) which has the following initiatives (Government of Malaysia
2012, p. 208):
a. Phase 1 (2013–15), this first phase focuses on supporting teachers
and core skills. It is envisioned that there will be 98 per cent
enrolment in primary level and that 25 per cent reduction in the
urban-rural gap will be achieved.
b. Phase 2 (2016–20) focuses on accelerating system improvement and
envisions a 100 per cent pre-school to lower secondary enrolment.
Reduction in the urban–rural gap at 50 per cent and additional
25 per cent reduction in the socio-economic and gender gap.
c. Phase 3 (2021–25) focuses on excellence with increased operational
flexibility while maintaining and improving the enrolment rates;
urban–rural gap of the prior phases and a 50 per cent reduction
in the socio-economic and gender gaps.