Maszlee Distraught Over 21 326 Students Dropping Out Of School

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Former education minister Maszlee Malik expressed great dismay after learning that as many as 21,316 students quit school between March 2020 and July 2021.
March 2020 coincided with the swearing-in of the Perikatan Nasional government of Muhyiddin Yassin and the very first movement control order to help contain the spread of Covid-19.
"As many as 21,316 children stopped school. What has happened to Malaysia?" asked Maszlee, who was education minister in the Pakatan Harapan administration.
"Please save my country and my people from the uncertainty of the future and decay under corrupt rulers," he said on Twitter.

Maszlee attached a screenshot of a reply in the Dewan Rakyat by Education Minister Mohd Radzi Jidin to Kangar MP Noor Amin Ahmad who has asked how many children have stopped their schooling since March 2020.

The reply said students who had dropped out were defined as those who ceased their schooling in advance of the stipulated duration.

Former education minister Maszlee Malik
"From March to December 2020 there were 11,301 students or 0.24 percent who stopped schooling.
"From January to July 2021, this figure was 10,015 students or 0.21 percent.
"Collectively, this makes for 21,326 students or 0.22 percent of the overall student population," read the answer.
Earlier this year, Maszlee had launched a public sponsorship programme to save students from dropping out of schools during the Covid-19 pandemic period.
His education movement - Untuk Malaysia - needs at least RM250 per child every month to keep his campaign going. He said he had planned to help at least 1,000 children in the first stage. - Mkini

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