The undocumented status of their parents are costing scores of children the chance of education in the UAE.
Children are forced to drop out of school after their overstaying parents/sponsor fail to renew their residential visas and sponsor a family, and amnesty may restore their right for education.
While parents fight joblessness, poverty and other legal implications of living on the wrong side of the law in their host country, children suffer an uncertain academic future as they are denied their right to education for no fault of theirs.
In a shocking incident, had brought out the plight of an Indian family, which had five children who could never go to school because of their parents' illegal status.
The five Indian children of Madhusudhanan-Rohini couple - Ashwathy, 29, Sangeetha,25, Shanthi,23, Gauri, 22, and Mithun, 21 - had to bear the brunt of their parents' residency violation and forego any little formal education while they grew up in the UAE. The family has been staying in the emirates for nearly 30 years without valid passports and visas.
"I could not enrol my five children in school because of our illegal status. They did not even have their passports for a long time. They haven't travelled outside the UAE even once. They have suffered for a lifetime," Madhusudhanan said. The couple claimed they could not apply for passports and visas for their children as neither father and mother had valid documents to sponsor them.
Sinan and Nihala are not an isolated case. Social workers said there are many more such cases known to them but many families are not willing to come out and seek help.
"I know some cases. But they are too afraid to expose their children. But with the declaration of amnesty, I think many families will try to either leave the country or regularise the status," said Nasser Kanjanghad, a social worker based in Abu Dhabi.
Officials from Keralite community organisation Malayalee Samajam in Abu Dhabi said they are aware of a family in Baniyas with children not attending school.
"They are trying to leave the country by applying for amnesty. We are currently trying to help them with necessary documents," said T. A. Nasser, samajam president.
Most schools maintain they cannot accommodate children without valid documents. Schools have to submit valid and updated documents to relevant education authorities in each emirate. Children can be enrolled in schools in the UAE only if both parents submit valid residential visas and Emirates IDs. Children also need a valid visa, Emirates ID and an attested birth certificate to be eligible for admission.
SOURCE : KHALEEJTIMES