THE school dropout rate might be under 1%, but Pandamaran assemblyman Tony Leong Tuck Chee was still concerned about the issue and has urged the Education Ministry (MOE) to work with parent-teacher associations (PTAs) to identify the root of the problem.

Leong said the PTAs, being grassroots organisations, could gather information to assist the ministry in drafting policies to tackle the problem.

Statistics provided by Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching to parliament showed that from 2019 to 2022, the main reasons for students dropping out were lack of interest in studies, having to work, facing family issues, having to marry, and living too far from schools.

Teo said the dropout rate in primary schools dropped from 0.12% in 2019 to 0.07% last year, and in secondary schools, from 1.14% to 0.99%.

The government’s 2020 statistics showed there were 4.6 million students in government schools nationwide – 2.7 million in primary schools and 1.9 million in secondary schools.

Leong shared with The Malaysian Insight his experience helping dropouts return to school.

In one case, a student had skipped school for two weeks. He said the student’s teachers decided to visit her at home.

“They found the student’s father, a drug addict, prevented the student from attending school.”

Leong said the teachers sought his assistance to get the student back to school.

“We arranged for the mother and student to move out of their home, and the student was able to return to school.”

In another case, he said a primary school pupil was absent because of a tough home situation.

His parents were garbage pickers who made a living selling reusable and recyclable items.

Leong said PTAs must be alert for students frequently absent from school and try to find out why.

Mengkibol assemblyman Chew Chong Sin said a way to curb dropouts was for teachers to improve how they deliver lessons.

“Teachers need to teach well, and they need to make learning interesting,” the Johor assemblyman said.

He said he has had students tell him they did not like school because classes were boring.

Some students told him what teachers taught in school could be found online, and did not see the need to attend classes.

Malaysian Chinese Education Parents’ Association chairman Loh Tian Hong suggested the MOE embark on a campaign to convince students to complete their secondary education.

Loh said schools must be on the lookout for prolonged, unexplained absences and to provide students with counselling and assistance.

“The MOE can do its part by conducting its own investigation to understand the true reasons these students drop out.”

On October 11, Teo said the ministry was drafting amendments to the Education Act 1996 to make secondary education compulsory.

“To revise the existing legislation, the MOE has taken various measures, including negotiations with stakeholders,” Teo said. – October 25, 2023.