KUALA LUMPUR: The Education Ministry hopes to reduce the government school student dropout
rate to 0.27 per cent next year.
Its minister Dr Maszlee Malik said the percentage of school dropouts declined from 0.35 per cent in 2016 to 0.29 per cent last year.
“The ministry has identified several factors behind students dropping out of school and they are disinterest, poverty, parents who were neglectful, illness, disability, social problems, learning difficulties and underage marriage.
“Therefore, various forms of support such as scholarships for students from low income familes was introduced,” he said when replying to Tuan Awang Husaini Sahari (PH PKR-Putatan) during a question-and-answer session at the Dewan Rakyat on the reason and number of students who did not continue their education to Form One
Maszlee said a policy would be launched next year to ensure students with special needs did not drop out from school.
“The 2019 Budget has allocated RM146 million specially for special education and this proves the government’s commitment to help needy students,” he said.