PETALING JAYA: Over 27,000 students were reported to have left public schools nationwide last year, a statistic that has drawn concern it may unfairly reflect on teachers and schools if released without context.
National Union of the Teaching Profession secretary-general Fouzi Singon warned that the way such data is presented could distort public perception. He said statistics should be released with context, not in isolation.
“Looking at the facts, it seems that schools have failed to become effective educational institutions, with 27,000 students dropping out of school. This is not fair to teachers, schools and the education system, because the numbers should be tied to the cause and to parents.”
Fouzi said teachers felt demoralised when dropout figures were published without clarification.
“If such data is presented, teachers will definitely feel hurt and disappointed as if they are to blame.”
Parent Action Group for Education Malaysia chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim echoed the call for transparency, warning that raw totals could mislead the public into thinking schools are failing.
She said authorities should define what ‘dropout’ means and provide breakdowns by age, region and socioeconomic group, together with explanations of contributing factors such as poverty, mobility or curriculum relevance.
Azimah added that failing to distinguish transfers to private or religious schools from genuine dropouts risks inflating the problem.
“If the statistics lump together students who leave government schools with those who leave schooling entirely, it inflates ‘dropout’ numbers in a misleading way,” she said, stressing that different exit routes require different responses.
She urged a broader view of education outcomes, saying that families should monitor attendance and support learning at home. She also said communities can provide mentoring or financial help and ministries must address barriers such as transport, nutrition and school safety.
Speaking to theSun on condition of anonymity, a seasoned secondary school teacher in Kelantan said she has witnessed the personal struggles that push students out of school.
“There are reasons why some students drop out of school. Broken family structures, financial problems and learning difficulties are among the problems.”
She recalled one pupil who could not read or write and another whose father was in prison while her unemployed mother was not well. The student’s elder sister had already left school and the younger siblings did not attend school regularly.
Although the teacher believes dropout cases are rising nationwide, she said her school has tried to stem the trend through home visits, parent meetings and fundraising to help pupils continue their studies.
She suggested expanding vocational classes under the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme to support students who struggle academically.
In Sarawak, a secondary school teacher, who also did not want to be named, said rural settings bring unique challenges.
She teaches mostly B40 families, including many Iban and less fortunate Chinese households from nearby villages.
“The rural environment has allowed me to see both the strengths of our close-knit community and the challenges our students face in staying in school.”
She described ‘silent symptoms’ of disengagement long before students leave, such as frequent absenteeism, sudden academic decline, withdrawal from classmates and loss of interest in lessons.
“Sometimes they are present physically but already disengaged mentally, much like ‘silent resignation’ in a workplace,” she said adding that a student had once confided in her that he wanted to leave school to work and support his family.
She said financial hardship, caregiving responsibilities, poor academic performance, early marriage and a lack of belief in the value of education were among the main reasons students dropped out.
The teacher urged the government to widen financial aid to cover transport and daily expenses, assign more counsellors to rural schools and provide clearer vocational pathways.
Reportedly, the Education Ministry in Dewan Rakyat last week confirmed that 27,122 students dropped out of public primary and secondary schools nationwide. The figure comprised 1,496 at the primary level and 25,626 at the secondary level.
