How to enrol your children into Malaysian State Schools

Enrolling your kids into a Malaysian State school is easy enough if you know what you're doing. If you're groping in the dark as I was, it can be tiresome, frustrating and time-consuming.

So, I hope to be able to give some guidance to others. This is by no means official, just based on my own experience. For further information, please contact your local State Education Department (Jabatan Pelajaran Negeri).

TOP TIPS:

1. Do your home-work. Find out about local schools in your area or the area you are planning to live in. You need to find out about transport and traffic jam, whether there are school vans or buses that go from your home. Visit the school and speak to the Principal. Speak to others who send their kids there.

2. Find out which catchment area the school falls under. To apply for the school you need to go to the Local State Education Department that deals with the school so for e.g. Jabatan Pelajaran Wilayah Persekutuan deals with schools around KL (but not all schools).

3. Go to the Jabatan Pelajaran and pick up the appropriate forms.

4. If you child is MALAYSIAN CITIZEN; the process is straight forward. You need to fill in THREE copies of "borang permohonan bersekolah di sekolah kerajaan bagi kanak2 warganegara Malaysia pulang dari luar negara". You fill in the forms and attach all photocopied documents required INCLUDING School leavers certificate (from your child's old school overseas) and Buku kemajuan sekolah (such as exam results, report card etc...). You hand in the forms and documents. DON'T FORGET to bring the originals and they will process your application within 2 weeks.

5. If your child is NON-MALAYSIAN CITIZEN, you will need to apply for student pass/visa from immigration before he/she can start schooling.

6. If your child has been given "Pengesahan taraf kewarganegaraan di bawah article 14" or if you have applied for citizenship and have "Borang B mengenai perkara article 15(2)" then, you can apply without a student pass/visa.

7. To apply as non-citizen, you will be asked to complete 3 copies of PINK FORM. You must take the forms to the school of your choice, they will sign it and endorse all of your photocopied documents. You then take the forms and documents back to the Jabatan along WITH THE ORIGINALS. They will process your application and you call them back in 2-3 weeks.

8. If your application is successful you will be called to pick up an approval letter, pay the required FEE of around RM50 (sorry, can't remember exactly) and you take the letter to the school.

Your kids can now start schooling. HOORAY!!!!

I hope you're not lost! I certainly was for about 4 weeks...but Alhamdulillah finally my kids managed to start school.


VERY IMPORTANT TIPS:
1. NEVER throw away any official documents or receipts given to you by any government agencies.

2. REMEMBER to ask for school leavers certificate from your child's overseas school before you leave the country.