Over 700 Orang Asli students dropped out of school last year
PARLIAMENT | Maszlee Malik has revealed that over 700 Orang Asli students dropped out of primary and secondary schools last year.
When presenting the numbers to the Dewan Rakyat today, the education minister said this could be attributed to many factors, from disinterest in schooling to underage marriages...
PARLIAMENT | Maszlee Malik has revealed that over 700 Orang Asli students dropped out of primary and secondary schools last year.
When presenting the numbers to the Dewan Rakyat today, the education minister said this could be attributed to many factors, from disinterest in schooling to underage marriages.
The House heard that, based on the Student Database Application (APDM), up to May 31, 2019, Orang Asli students in primary and secondary schools numbered 32,278 in 2019, compared to 34,481 the previous year.
“Up to 725 students were found not to have registered in 2019.
"Among the reasons that could have contributed to the lower number of Orang Asli student registration is lack of interest in continuing schooling, as they are more interested in working, getting married at a young age, and not furthering studies into secondary school,” he said.
Maszlee was replying to a written question by Hasbullah Osman (BN-Gerik) on the percentage of Orang Asli school dropouts from primary to tertiary levels.
The minister noted that 51 students, or 8.8 percent of Orang Asli students, dropped out of public universities in 2018.
However, he stressed that his ministry was continuing efforts to widen the access of indigenous communities to education.
Maszlee also said the government was conducting various programmes and preparing access to education.
He did not elaborate on these programmes, however, nor the manner in which access is being afforded to the community.
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