PUTRAJAYA: The government will increase efforts to address school dropout issues among secondary students, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today.
Zahid said among the reasons students dropped out of school were because they were working, had financial issues due to being poor, and family issues.
The Education Ministry said 0.8 per cent of secondary students, or 14,506, dropped out last year.
Zahid said the National Social Council meeting that he chaired earlier today had identified eight areas to reduce dropout rates.
This included increasing awareness through print, electronic and social media on the importance of education until obtaining Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia, he added.
"Other areas include conducting periodic monitoring of employers hiring school-attending workers to comply with prescribed working hours and conditions, providing vocational training centres; and providing counselling services to parents and guardians to ensure children under their care continue schooling."
He said this in a speech after chairing a council meeting here.
His speech was read out by Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.
He said the government would also look into helping financially strapped families, causing students to work; providing financial aid to students based on their needs and locality of residence; and setting up learning spaces in residential areas such as community centres or activity centres for students to study.
He added that the meeting also agreed that there should be psychosocial support for children with divorced parents.
The council was established as the implementing body of the National Social Policy, which is the umbrella policy covering the philosophy and social development policies of the nation.