Orang Asli preschoolers are seen at work at SK Tohoi, Gua Musang. — Bernama photo
ALOR SETAR (June 17): The Ministry of Education (MoE) aims to increase preschool enrolment to 90 per cent from the current 80 per cent as a preliminary measure to prevent school dropouts.
Its Minister Fadhlina Sidek said that in order to achieve that target, MoE would open more preschools and run an advocacy campaign to encourage parents to send their children to preschools.
“Preschool enrolment is currently at 80 per cent, while secondary school enrolment is around 78 per cent, which is quite low compared to enrolment in primary schools, which is made compulsory, at 98 per cent.
“So we have two segments of students whose enrolment we need to focus on, namely preschool and secondary school,” she told reporters after attending the Sesi Motivasi bersama Cikgu Menteri programme here last night.
In addition to the lack of preschool classes, which was being addressed at the ministry level, Fadhlina cited poverty as a contributing factor to the low primary pre-school enrollment rate.
Asked if the MoE intends to make preschool education compulsory like primary education, Fadhlina said that the ministry must first resolve preschool-related issues.
On secondary school dropouts, she said a bill to make secondary education compulsory for students that would be tabled in Parliament would ensure that students completed their schooling up to Form 5. — Bernama