Right to education for children of Indonesian migrant workers living in plantations in Sabah – understanding the gaps

Purpose: The study aims to address the educations needs of Indonesian children living in plantations in Sabah and provide recommendations to the relevant stakeholders. Data was collected between January and March 2023 to identify and address the issues in relation to providing education for children living on plantations in Sabah. Specifically, children of Indonesian migrant workers. Design/methodology/approach: The research was both a doctrinal and qualitative study that encompassed in-depth interviews with migrant workers of Indonesian nationality who have children living with them in palm oil plantations in Sabah and local managers of the plantations. Data was collected from the commissioning plantation, where the children have yet to go to school and two other plantations with school-going children. The doctrinal component involved the analysis on international and domestic laws. Findings: Through the research, ways of enrolling migrant children in schools were determined including within neighbouring plantations, impacting the lives of children residing in the commissioning estate. Research limitations/implications: The research was fraught with difficulties. Gaining the trust of palm oil plantation owners was key and this took some time. Time in essence was a limitation as time taken for interviews is time taken away from the migrant workers employment. Practical implications: The commissioning estate has already secured the provision of education for the children of the estate. The research is impactful as it has facilitated this development. Social implications: The hope is that more estates will allow for academic researchers to come in and provide systematic and constructive feedback on how things could be improved for children living in plantations. Originality/value: Gaining trust and garnering data not only from migrant workers but also the managers provide novelty in the research. The views of the management side of things have not always been successfully acquired in the past.