INTERACTIVE: Primary school dropout rate rising in Malaysia

PETALING JAYA: A growing number of children from marginalised and vulnerable communities are dropping out of primary school in Malaysia, according to United Nations (UN) data.

Figures from the UN’s Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) show a 20% increase in the number of out-of-school primary school students in the country for 2022, at 145,204 persons, compared with 121,231 in 2021.

Experts say the rise in the dropout rate was due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The pandemic disrupted both learning and economic stability, leading to an increase in dropout rates.

“Poverty and financial instability had been exacerbated by the pandemic, leading families to prioritise work over education,” said Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) School of Educational Studies Professor in Curriculum Studies and Education Policy, Prof Dr Hazri Jamil.

Hit hard by pandemic

The pandemic led to a shift to learning online, which highlighted the digital divide and inequities where students without reliable Internet access or devices struggled to participate in schooling, leading to disengagement.

Prof Hazri said psychosocial factors such as mental health issues, family dynamics and neglect, or lack of support for education, can contribute to students leaving school.

“Addressing underlying these barriers is crucial to ensuring that children not only enrol but also remain in school and succeed. It would be crucial to dig deeper into regional or demographic-specific data to understand the reasons behind these trends.

“Although the government has policies aimed at reducing dropout rates, challenges in implementation, such as insufficient funding and inadequate monitoring, can undermine these efforts. Bureaucratic delays and inefficiencies further complicate the issue,” he added.

Marginalised and vulnerable

UCSI University Faculty of Social Sciences and Liberal Arts Education Department head Assistant Prof Dr Zaida Mustafa said those who are not enrolling in primary school often come from marginalised and vulnerable communities.

“These would include children with disabilities who may lack sufficient support and resources in mainstream schools, and low-income families who cannot afford school-related expenses,” she said.

Others include children from indigenous and rural communities as well as and refugees and undocumented children who lack the necessary documentation to enrol in national schools.

Zaida said some parents are also not enrolling their children in school due to a lack of awareness about the importance of education or cultural practices that prioritise other activities over schooling.

“Addressing these issues requires targeted interventions and concerted efforts, such as providing financial assistance, improving infrastructure in rural areas, raising awareness about the importance of education, and implementing inclusive education policies.

“Combining these strategies can create a more supportive environment for children to attend and stay in school,” she added.

Impact of pandemic school closures

According to the Khazanah Research Institute, Malaysia saw a total of 41.5 weeks of full school closures between mid-February 2020 to July 1, 2022, which led to several types of losses, including psychological, academic, skill development, and equal education access.

“Countries that had longer school closures also saw a greater decrease in their Pisa 2022 score outcomes,” its Households and the Pandemic 2019-2022: The State of Households 2024 (SoH 2024) report released Sept 26 found.

Malaysia had also seen its Pisa scores drop more intensely compared with other countries in the region, with our students faring the worst in reading in 2022.

Pisa is administered by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) every three years on 15-year-olds in both OECD and non-OECD countries, and offers students questions in the main language of instruction in their respective countries.

However, the last round was delayed from 2021 to 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Each round focuses on either Reading, Mathematics or Science.

This international benchmark study helps measure how prepared 15-year-olds who underwent formal education are to fully integrate into modern society.

Fewer pupils

Malaysia’s rapid population ageing is another factor that affects school enrolment.

According to the Statistics Department, primary school enrolment shrunk to 3.02 million in 2022, a drop of 63,420 persons from the previous year.

According to department, the moderating rate of school enrolment can be attributed to shrinking birth rates.

The growth in school enrolment in the country started to slow down in 2014.