TUMPAT, June 15 — Poverty has been identified as one of the causes of students dropping out of school, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said.
She also said that her ministry was working with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to collect data and address the issue, adding that the issue was not only the responsibility of her ministry, schools and teachers but needed support from an ecosystem of all parties including parents and the community.
“We are concerned but not defensive. That is why we conducted an intervention to address the issue, we are highly committed and we are not alone in this because it is also done by NGOs and the community,” she told a press conference after the launch of the Beluru Island Comprehensive School (K9) here today.
Fadhlina said that comprehensive schools like K9 was one of the steps taken to overcome student dropout.
“SK Pulau Beluru is the first K9 school in Kelantan. This is one of my ministry’s initiatives to address student dropouts. The school will ensure that these children are in school from Year One to Form Three,” she said, adding that there are currently 19 such schools, including in Pahang, Selangor, Perak and Sarawak
“We will monitor the need to increase the number of K9 schools as time progresses,” she added.
