Peranan zakat dalam meningkatkan ekuiti dalam pendidikan anak-anak miskin bandar di Malaysia

This study aims to examine the role of zakat in improving equity in education of urban poor children in Malaysia. It is an effort by the zakat institution to realize the aim of the education policy to provide equal education opportunities for all children. Urban poverty is the main problem that prevents children from receiving a proper education for their future. Hence, this study was undertaken to determine the type of assistance given for the education of Muslim urban poor children and suggestions for the improvement of existing financial aids by zakat. This research was carried out through qualitative study by having interviews with 14 participants from the Lembaga Zakat Selangor (LZS) and the Majlis Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan (MAIWP) together with analysis of relevant documents. Four participants represent the zakat officers incharge of the education division whereas ten partcipants were the urban poor children who received full zakat assistances. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis to obtain specific themes that answer the stated research objectives. From the analysis, the zakat institutions have been successfully distributing zakat in the form of scholarship / fee assistance, provision of books and learning tools, clothes and school uniforms, hostels and moral support and motivation. Research findings also proposed the zakat institutions to improve the distribution of zakat through the provision of information technology facilities, organizing technical or entrepreneurship courses for students and provision of healthy nutritional support. As implication, this study highlights the roles of zakat institution in helping the government to improve equity in education, especially to the urban poor Muslims children in Malaysia