Plantation praised for facilitating migrant workers’ children to get to CLC

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Fatimah (back, sixth left) in a photo call with teachers, pupils and guests at the Lambir CLC.

MIRI: Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah has praised the effort put in by the management of the Ladang Tiga plantation here in providing bus service to transport children of its Indonesian workers to attend school at its Community Learning Centre (CLC).

The Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister said the move was in line with the principle of the setting-up of CLCs, where the responsibility is shared by the respective plantation’s management and those representing the migrant workers.

“I hope other CLCs can follow the example set by the Ladang Tiga CLC (in providing bus transport service).

“We know that education is a child’s right. CLC education is set up to provide basic education to the children until they reach the age of 12 and further their education beyond Sarawak,” said Fatimah, who led a group tour to CLCs at two plantations – in Ladang Tiga run by Sarawak Plantation Berhad, and in Lambir run by Sarawak Oil Palms Berhad – here on Wednesday.

Fatimah poses with some of the teachers at the Ladang Tiga CLC during her visit on Wednesday.

She explained that CLCs in Sarawak were set up following an agreement in August 2015 to benefit children of Indonesian plantation workers in Sarawak, based on guidelines set by the Education Ministry.

She further explained that a workshop was held in 2016 to establish the CLC registration guidelines and processes in the state.

“This is to ensure that the rules and guidelines are complied with, such as ensuring that all CLCs are conducted in a safe and conducive environment.

“In addition, the teaching staff is made up of trained teachers with relevant education background, skills and proper certification from Indonesia,” she said.

Fatimah added that to date, there are 63 CLCs across Sarawak with 114 teachers and 1,870 children aged seven to 12.

The Indonesian government has taken the initiative to collaborate with plantation companies in Sarawak to set up CLCs to create access to quality education for all children of its migrant labour workforce.