Child marriages, poverty among reasons kids drop out of school, says Perak govt

IPOH: Poverty, child marriages, health and transportation issues are among the factors contributing to the rate of school dropouts in Perak, says the state government.

State Education Committee chairman Ahmad Saidi Mohamad Daud (pic) said other factors include lack of interest to continue studying, already working, having documentation issues, being afraid to attend school, and students with special needs.

He said this scenario was for government and government-aided schools in the state.

Attendance of the students is gathered via a web-based students attendance system.

He said in the last four years (2018-2021) on average, each year according to the total number of students for that year, between 0.03% and 0.06% of primary pupils failed to attend school due to various factors.

“As for secondary school students, on an average between 0.7% and 0.9% dropout rates were reported,” he said when replying to a written question by Sandra Ng Shy Ching (PH-Teja) during the state assembly sitting on Wednesday (March 30).

Ng had asked about the percentage of school dropouts both for primary and secondary schools in the state from 2018 to 2021.

She had also asked about the dropout rate among the Orang Asli students in Perak, the contributing factors, and efforts taken by the state government to overcome this problem.

Ahmad Saidi added that some students who drop out of government schools continued their studies in boarding or international schools, and some attended schools not registered with the ministry such as madrasah and so on.

He said a small number either preferred homeschooling or migrated abroad with their families.

On the issues concerning Orang Asli students, he said there was an increase in Orang Asli students attending school in 2019 compared to 2018.

“A total of 91.4% attended school in 2019 as compared to 90.15% in 2018.

“While the dropout rate recorded for the Orang Asli students in 2018 was at 0.85% as compared to 0.72% in 2019.

“However due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the movement control order in 2020 and 2021, their figures (on attendance) showed a decline,” he added.

He said the state government has always been coming out with various steps to ensure the dropout rates were reduced.

“We carry our various programmes to encourage students to attend school, provide aid, set up hostels, provide free books and food as well,” he added.

On a supplementary question on how to overcome issues involving Orang Asli students who drop out of school due to transportation issues, Ahmad Saidi said he would work with the state executive councillor in charge of transportation.

“We will discuss how best we are able to overcome this problem,” he added.