MIRI: The Ministry of Education should take seriously the report by United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) that 30 per cent of indigenous children in the country have no formal education up to secondary school level.
Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau admitted the problem existed in rural areas but the situation had improved compared to many years back.
“It is true that indigenous children only manage to complete primary school for various reasons, such as can’t afford to send their children to school, lack of motivation and poor results in exams,” he said yesterday when asked to comment on statistics from Unicef representative Marianne Clark Hattingh during the Second Malaysian Indigenous People’s Education Conference at Damai Beach Resort on Tuesday.
Dennis noted that the situation in rural areas of the state had improved. His constituency was an example where indigenous parents and their children were aware of the importance of formal studies up to secondary school.
“We can see indigenous children not only attend secondary school but pursue tertiary studies and skill studies up to diploma and university levels.
“They realise that education is the most power tool to uplift their family’s living standard and assure them of a bright future.” he said.
Source: http://miri.my/2016/09/23/unicef-report-on-education-of-indigenous-children-is-spot-on/