This study examines educational accessibility barriers among homeless and asnaf communities in Malaysia through a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach. The review was conducted based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework to ensure a systematic and transparent process of source identification, screening, and selection. A total of 17 selected studies published between 2020 and 2026 were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal that marginalised communities continue to experience multiple forms of educational exclusion influenced by structural poverty, documentation issues, social discrimination, psychosocial pressures, and weaknesses in institutional support systems. The study also highlights the significant role of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), zakat institutions, social workers, schools, and alternative education initiatives in expanding educational opportunities for vulnerable communities. The novelty of this study lies in its integrated synthesis of homeless and asnaf communities within a single educational accessibility framework, as both groups are often discussed separately in previous studies. Overall, the findings contribute to the social sciences literature by strengthening the understanding of educational exclusion as a multidimensional issue and by offering broader insights for inclusive education, welfare support, and social intervention planning in Malaysia and other developing and multicultural contexts.
Abiddin, N. Z. (2024). Empowering Communities: The Role of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOS) In Education and Welfare Development in Malaysia. Pakistan Journal of Life and Social Sciences, 22(2), 8006–8014. https://doi.org/10.57239/PJLSS-2024-22.2.00604
Booth, A., Sutton, A. & Papaioannou, D. (2016). Systematic Approaches to a Successful Literature Review. Second Edition. London: Sage Publications.
Flemming, K., Booth, A., Hannes, K., Cargo, M., & Noyes, J. (2018). Cochrane qualitative and implementation methods group guidance series - Paper 6: Reporting guidelines for qualitative, implementation, and process evaluation evidence syntheses. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 97, 79–85. https://www.jclinepi.com/article/S0895-4356(17)31327-6/abstract
Gehanno, J. F., Rollin, L., & Darmoni, S. J. (2013). Is the coverage of Google Scholar enough to be used alone for systematic reviews? BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 13 (7), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6947-13-7
Iskandar, A. M., & Harifuddin, H. (2026). School, Family, and Children’s Educational Participation in Marginalized Urban Communities: A Class Consciousness Perspective. International Journal of Sociology of Education, 15(1), 22–40. https://doi.org/10.17583/rise.18947
Ismail, H., & Ismail, N. A. (2022). Empowering Education Among Asnaf Through Distribution of Zakat from The Perspective of Maqasid Syariah. AZKA International Journal of Zakat & Social Finance, 3(1), 20–31. https://doi.org/10.51377/azjaf.vol3no1.92
Jasni, M. A., Hassan, N., Ibrahim, F., & Kamaluddin, M. R. (2022a). Gelandangan dalam Kalangan Belia dan Kanak-kanak Terbiar di Malaysia: Satu Perbincangan. Jurnal Pengajian Melayu, 33(2), 98–117. https://doi.org/10.22452/jomas.vol33no2.6
Jasni, M. A., Hassan, N., Ibrahim, F., & Kamaluddin, M. R. (2022b). Isu Gelandangan dan Keciciran Pendidikan dalam kalangan Gelandangan Kanak-Kanak. Malaysian Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (MJSSH), 7(8), e001692. https://doi.org/10.47405/mjssh.v7i8.1692
Jasni, M. A., Hassan, N., Ibrahim, F., Kamaluddin, M. R., Omar, N., & Abu Bakar Ah, S. H. (2022). Meninjau Bentuk Pemulihan dan Bantuan untuk Gelandangan dari Institusi Kerajaan dan Organisasi Bukan Kerajaan di Malaysia. Malaysian Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (MJSSH), 7(11), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.47405/mjssh.v7i11.1897
Jasni, M. A., Jamaluddin, Z., Mat Ali, N. A., Azmy, M. M., Sohaimi, N. S., & Mohd Fikri, S. (2025). Tahap Kesejahteraan Hidup Penentu Risiko Gelandangan dalam Kalangan Gelandangan Bekas Banduan: Kajian Empirikal di Jalan Chow Kit. Perspektif Jurnal Sains Sosial Dan Kemanusiaan, 17(1), 80–98. https://doi.org/10.37134/perspektif.vol17.1.5.2025
Jasni, M. A., Sulaiman, S., Baharudin, M. N., & Azizul, M. D. A. (2025). Peranan dan Cabaran Pekerja Sosial dalam Menyalurkan Perkhidmatan Kepada Gelandangan. International Journal of Social Policy and Society, 21, 118–130.
Johari, M. L., Nik Ab Malik, N. M. A., & Wahid, H. (2025). Classification of the Homeless as One of Asnaf Zakat: A Case Study of the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 8(12), 4273–4287. https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2024.8120357
Loganathan, T., Ong, Z. L., Hassan, F., Chan, Z. X., & Abdul Majid. H. (2023). Barriers and facilitators to education access for marginalised non-citizen children in Malaysia: A qualitative study. PLoS ONE, 18(6), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286793
Mohammad, N., Abu Sareh, N. H. H., Johar, S., & Mohd Tahir, M. (2024). Keberkesanan Ruang Pembelajaran Sedia Ada bagi Gelandangan Kanak-Kanak: Kajian Kes Sekolah Bimbingan Jalinan Kasih, Kuala Lumpur. Jurnal Kejuruteraan, 36(6), 2535–2548. https://doi.org/10.17576/jkukm-2024-36(6)-23
Moher, D., Liberati, A., Tetzlaff, J., & Altman, D. G. (2009). Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: The PRISMA statement. PLoS Medicine, 6 (7), e1000097. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000097
Nasharuddin, S. W. B., & Asalal, N. binti. (2025). Exploring Mental Health Issues Among the Homeless in Malaysia: A Focus on Anxiety and Depression. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 9(2), 427–436. https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.9020036
Okoli, C. (2015). A guide to conducting a standalone systematic literature review. Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 37 (43), 879–910. https://doi.org/10.17705/1CAIS.03743
Rohimi, A., Ahmad, Z., & Md. Zain, A. D. (2025). Challenges Faced by the Asnaf Community in Understanding the Importance of Education in Chemor, Perak. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 9(30), 72–79. https://doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.930000010
Rose, N. N., Ishak, A. S., & Marzuki@Yahaya, N. (2025). The Conceptual Framework Model Of Stress and Conflict Among Asnaf Families. International Journal of Education, Psychology and Counseling, 10(59), 01–15. https://doi.org/10.35631/ijepc.1059001
Samsudin, A. Z., & Ismail, N. K. (2022). Pendidikan Alternatif Sebagai Wadah Dakwah dalam Kalangan Minoriti Rohingya di Malaysia. International Journal of Islam and Contemporary Affairs, 2(2), 33–52. www.e-jurnal.yadim.com.my
Sulaiman, S. (2021). Perkhidmatan Pendidikan di Malaysia: Aksesibiliti Kanak-kanak Jalanan Tanpa Dokumen Terhadap Kemudahan Pendidikan. In Haris Abd. Wahab, Siti Hajar Abu Bakar Ah, & Noralina Omar (Eds.), Pentadbiran Sosial: Penyampaian Perkhidmatan Sosial di Malaysia (pp. 167–181). Penerbit Universiti Malaya.
Xiao, Y., & Watson, M. (2019). Guidance on Conducting a Systematic Literature Review. Journal of Planning Education and Research, 39 (1), 93–112. https://doi.org/10.1177/0739456X17723971
Zolkifely, M. H., & Hisham, N. N. (2025). Empowering Marginalized Students through Leadership Roles. Jurnal Personalia Pelajar, 28(1), 349–359. https://doi.org/10.17576/personalia.2801.2025.36
Suhaimi, N. F. A., & Zulkifli, H. (2026). Educational Accessibility Barriers among Homeless and Asnaf Communities in Malaysia: A Systematic Literature Review. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, 15(2), 1692-1709.
Copyright: © 2026 The Author(s)
Published by Knowledge Words Publications (www.kwpublications.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
