Over 400,000 school students facing learning problems, says Education Minister

KUALA LUMPUR: Over 400,000 students in primary and secondary schools nationwide are experiencing learning problems, says Fadhlina Sidek.

The Education Minister said 280,985 primary school students (Year 1 to Year 6) have yet to master the Malay language subject.

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As for secondary school students (Form 1 to Form 5), 154,853 of them have not mastered the 3M skills - reading, writing and counting.

This brings the total of students facing such difficulties to 435,838.

“The Education Ministry has implemented various interventions to help students in all primary schools master the basic skills of 3M.

“Students who have not yet mastered the basic 3M skills are categorised based on achievement at Mastery Level 1 (TP 1) and Mastery Level 2 (TP 2) in the Classroom Assessment.

“As of Dec 18, 2023, there are a total of 280,985 primary school students (Year 1 to Year 6) who obtained TP 1 and TP 2 in Malay language subject.

“At the secondary school level, there are a total of 154,853 students from Form 1 to Form 5 who obtained TP 1 and TP 2,” she said in a Parliamentary written reply.

Fadhlina was responding to Datuk Abdul Khalib Abdullah (PN-Rompin) who asked for the number of students who have learning problems in primary and secondary schools.

Abdul Khalib said such a situation is becoming increasingly apparent, causing more dropouts among students.

Fadhlina said the Education Ministry is currently working on resolving the matter through various plans and strategies with the hope that it would improve students' mastery of the 3M.

“The Education Ministry has implemented a Special Rehabilitation Programme and empowered various intervention programmes including Reading Aid Program, Literacy and Numeracy Program (PLaN), PLaN Empowerment Camp, Malay Language Wise Program, Guidance Programme (Probim) and Guidance Module Programme (Mobim).

“The Education Ministry is confident that this intervention program can help students master 3M at school,” she added.