Autoethnography as Story: The Realities and Dynamics of Transnational Children’s Education on the Indonesia-Malaysia Border

This study examines the dynamics of transnational children's education on the Indonesia-Malaysia border, specifically in the Dayak Bidayuh community between Kampung Sontas (Indonesia) and Entubuh (Malaysia).The main issue is how citizenship status, limited mobility, and state policies affect children's access and educational experiences in cross-border kinship networks.The study aims to uncover the complex realities of these children's education from the perspective of actors directly involved in border life.Using an autoethnographic method implemented over five years (2019-2024), researchers immersed themselves in the lives of border communities, conducting participant observation, in-depth interviews, and documenting personal experiences as the main narrative.The results of the study show that transnational children face administrative limitations, gaps in educational facilities, and pressures of national and ethnic identity.Nevertheless, families and local communities play a central role in maintaining educational values through adaptive strategies and kinship solidarity.The implications of this study indicate the importance of inclusive and cross-border education policies and the need for state recognition of the complexity of identity and mobility of border communities.Autoethnography as an approach can bridge personal experiences with the structural dynamics that influence the lives of transnational children.