Education has become a national priority for every governments. Malaysia is one of the world's most populous countries, and its young people are the most ambitious targets for achieving the country's vision 2020 and future. Our fast-growing economy, social and human development depends, in part, on empowerment and education. School education is the foundation as well as the training skills needed to support national goals and vision. Good education and training on skills can lift families and communities out of poor living and boost the country's economic growth. Graduating from secondary school has shown significant benefits for individual health, employment, and earning a lifetime. Secondary education, coupled with vocational skills training, can enable young people to acquire the soft skills needed for sustainable development. For girls, security and equality for access to secondary education can be powerful to keep balance, ensuring girls and boys have equal education, different activities and career choices. However, we should take special attention to school dropouts, both for girls and boys. The stakes of this school dropouts phenomenon go beyond to an institution to even the public and governments.
School dropout is not a simple social phenomenon to define. Indeed, the identity of dropouts is not as homogeneous as that. As things stand, we can only be content with assumptions about the status of dropouts and the processes at work. Nevertheless, there does not seem to be a radical break between students who drop out and their peers. Even if they are weakly mobilized by school activities, they remain within the institutions. The stakes of this phenomenon go beyond the only public concerned. School dropout questions the institution in its operation as well as in its capacity to give meaning to the school experience and to help the guidance of young people.
The support work can be undertaken with the youth, by his family and the educators, is essential to restore confidence and the desire to return to school/college. The parents themselves may have had a painful past with the school. Also, it is important to welcome them back and spend some quality time to work together with the school dropouts. We all must work in the same direction. It can take time, a lot of energy, but it's worth it. When a dropout student trusts us, regains self-confidence, manages to re-motivate himself and to return to learning, it is a big success. If a dropout prepares for a skill certification or a diploma or to invest in a job orientation project, this is a real success not only for that young person and his family but also for the institution.
