KUALA LUMPUR: The number of school dropouts was higher before the Covid-19 pandemic struck, said Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon.
He said there were 34,074 students who dropped out of school in 2018 compared to 11,301 students who left school between March to December last year and 10,015 who dropped out between January and July 2021.
"What this means is, for the previous years, the number of dropouts were higher," Dr Mah told the Dewan Rakyat during the minister's question time.
He said this in a reply by the ministry to Noor Amin Ahmad (PH-Kangar) who asked on the number of those who dropped out from schools during the pandemic.
Dr Mah said the ministry had mobilised schools, district education offices and state education departments to trace those who were absent for virtual or physical lessons.
He also said that coaching and psychosocial support for students were held through various means while their parents were called for discussions on why their children were not interested in going to school and how to address the issue.
"At the same time we will also conduct interventions for 'at risk students' at the district and state levels. This involves the management sector for learning, schools and students. This also involves parents and the community.
"We will also provide guidelines on students who are at risk of dropping out, and we also have a dashboard to identify them and a manual on the management, prevention and intervention for dropouts."
Earlier Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (Muar-Independent) asked the ministry what was being done to address the situation which he described as a national crisis.
He said that Unicef's Families on the Edge report for Malaysia had also said that a significant number of students who had dropped out during the pandemic would not go back to school due to extraordinary financial pressure.
This, he said was in addition to the need for tablets, internet connectivity, higher bandwidth and support systems, all of which cost money.
Syed Saddiq requested that the ministry provide the names of students who had dropped out and their families to him.
"I want to visit them personally, especially those in my area and see what I can do."