KUALA LUMPUR: The dropout rate for female students at secondary schools nationwide has seen an increase within three years, the Dewan Rakyat heard today.
Deputy Education Minister Lim Hui Ying said the rate went from 0.40 per cent in 2019 to 0.71 per cent in 2022, while the dropout rate for male students decreased from 0.72 per cent in 2019 to 0.29 per cent in 2022, she said.
Lim added that based on the ministry's Student Database Application System (ADPM) from 2019 to 2023, the main reasons for the increase in the dropout rate were a lack of interest in schooling, employment or family issues, marriage as well as difficulty attending school due to distance.
"At the primary school level, there was no dropout among female students, while male students showed a decreasing trend from 0.16 per cent in 2019 to 0.09 per cent 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 per cent in 2019 to 0.07 per cent in 2022 and the secondary level from 1.14 per cent to 0.99 per cent.
"The ministry will also finalise the dropout rate data for 2023 after receiving enrollment information from other agencies," she said during minister's question time in the Dewan Rakyat, today.
Lim said this in response to Lee Chean Chung (PH-Petaling Jaya) on the dropout rate as well as the breakdown by year, age, and gender from 2019 to June 2023.
Meanwhile, Lim added that the ministry also provided 18 types of assistance to schools this year, including 13 specific forms of assistance and five general assistance.
The assistance, she said, was also distributed to dropout students living in poverty, such as the Small Federal Scholarship and Supplementary Food Programme.
"At the same time, the ministry has also conducted an outreach programme 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 programme 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."