KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 27 – The dropout rate among primary school students in Sarawak decreased from 0.34 per cent in 2016 to 0.25 per cent in 2020, according to statistics from the Ministry of Education (MoE).
In an oral answer posted on the Parliament website today, the MoE, however, said that the dropout rate at the secondary school level increased from 2.23 per cent in 2016 to 3.38 per cent in 2020 (as of June 30 each year).
Replying to a question from Ahmad Johnie Zawawi (GPS-Igan) on the dropout problem in Sarawak, including the Igan parliamentary constituency, for the past five years, the MoE said that the dropout rate among students of government secondary and government-aided schools was declining in the area.
The dropout rate recorded in 2016 was 13.68 per cent while 0.52 per cent in 2021.
There were no dropouts at the government primary and government-aided school levels in the parliamentary constituency from 2016 to 2019 and 2021 but a dropout rate of 0.48 per cent was recorded in 2020.
“Based on a survey conducted by the MoE, among the causes of student dropouts are lack of interest in learning, poverty, disciplinary problems, parental divorce, social problems and working to help families,” it said.
To address the problem, the MoE, among others, prepares Guidelines for Managing Risk of Students’ Dropout in School (GPMBC) aimed at helping schools to identify and manage students at risk of dropping out effectively and systematically. – Bernama