The number of secondary school girls who dropped out across the country has gone up in the last three years, the Dewan Rakyat heard today.
Lim Hui Ying, the Deputy Education Minister, said the rate went from 0.4% in 2019 to 0.7% in 2022. She also said that the dropout rate for male students went from 0.7% in 2019 to 0.2% in 2022.
Lim also said that the ministry’s Student Database Application System (ADPM) from 2019 to 2023 showed that the main reasons for the rise in the dropout rate were refusing to go to secondary school, having problems at work or with family, marriage, and having trouble getting to school because of the distance.
“At the primary school level, there was no dropout among female students, while male students showed a decreasing trend from 0.16 percent in 2019 to 0.09 percent in 2022.
“However, the overall dropout rate among students has shown a decreasing trend in the same period, where the primary level decreased from 0.12 percent in 2019 to 0.07 percent in 2022 and the secondary level from 1.14 percent to 0.99 percent.
“The ministry will also finalize the dropout rate data for 2023 after receiving enrollment information from other agencies,” she said during minister’s question time in the Dewan Rakyat on 11 October.
Lim also said that this year, the ministry gave schools 18 different assistance, including 13 specific assiatnce and 5 general assistance.
She also said that the help, which included programs like the Small Federal Scholarship and Supplemental Food Program that provide for poor kids who had dropped out of secondary school.
“At the same time, the ministry has also conducted an outreach program for dropout students in all District Education Offices (PPD) with the cooperation of the local community to help them return to school.
“In 2022, the program successfully brought back 5,121 primary school students and 1,711 secondary school students.
“Hence, the ministry is confident that all efforts and initiatives planned and implemented will address the dropout issue and ensure students continued participation in the national education system until they complete their schooling.”
The number of secondary school girls who dropped out across the country has gone up in the last three years, the Dewan Rakyat heard today.