Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and education for Rohingya refugees in Malaysia

Abstract

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and education for Rohingya refugees in Malaysia are examined in this paper. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) serve as a blueprint for achieving a better and more sustainable future for all. Its fourth goal is to improve educational quality and enable socioeconomic mobility to help people escape poverty. The problem for Rohingya refugees in Malaysia is that they are not officially recognized by the host government. This study has been conducted using a qualitative approach. Purposive sampling has been chosen to identify respondents like United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) personnel, Rohingya refugees, and local non-governmental organizations (NGOs). A semi-structured interview question was used to collect the information from the respondents. As a result, one of the consequences is that their children are not permitted to attend government-run schools for formal education. This situation has left them dissatisfied and concerned about their future in Malaysia. Nonetheless, in order to leverage the SDGs’ goal and achieve its motto of “leaving no one behind”, the UNHCR, as an international UN body, made an effort to provide access to the education sector. These efforts aim not only to improve educational quality, but also to strengthen ties between the refugee community and the host society. The local NGOs also collaborate with UNHCR in terms of financial support to further their secondary and even tertiary study. Despite those challenges, it still strives to achieve the SDG No. 4 target to reach the quality of education for Rohingya refugees. As a result, efforts to improve education for Rohingyas in Malaysia are ongoing, and all stakeholders must work together to make it a reality.