It’s 2026, poverty shouldn’t still be keeping children from school

IT is deeply unsettling that in the second week of the 2026 school year, Malaysian children are already missing out on education – not because schools are unavailable, but because poverty still decides who gets to learn and who does not.

The Sri Murugan Centre and the Social Welfare Department are working to keep a Year Five student from dropping out – not due to lack of ability, discipline, or motivation but because her family is struggling to survive.