The Role of Literacy and Religious Learning in Supporting the Education of Indonesian Migrant Workers’ Children at Sanggar Bimbingan Permai, Penang, Malaysia

Abstract

Children of Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia whose parents lack complete documents are often unable to enter formal schools, which makes community learning centres (sanggar bimbingan) an alternative learning space. This article describes the role of literacy and religious learning at Sanggar Bimbingan Permai in Penang, together with the support strategies and constraints that accompanied it. “Role” is understood as the function that learning activities perform in a child’s education, not as a measured effect. The study used a descriptive qualitative single-case design. Data came from document analysis—daily activity journals, weekly reflections, weekly team reports, the work programme, and the team’s final report—covering 7–30 September 2026, and were coded thematically. Three layers of learning ran in parallel: functional literacy (reading and writing, numeracy, Indonesian and English, and reasoning about fact and opinion); religious literacy (communal Duha prayer, individual Qur’an recitation with correction of articulation points, introduction to the attributes of Allah, and basic Islamic education); and identity strengthening through national songs, civics, and regional dance. By schedule, religious activities took the largest share of weekly scheduled hours. Facilitators handled mixed abilities through step-by-step guidance, repetition, everyday examples, and direct coaching; the main constraints were uneven abilities, partial attendance, and limited facilities. Because learning outcomes were not measured, the article does not claim programme effectiveness. It offers a map of practice and a simple outline for recording learning progress, for the centre and for further research.