High Rate of Drop-outs

Thousands of children of school-going age in the rural areas are forced to leave school because their parents cannot afford the burden of school expenditure. The number of drop-outs in urban schools is just as bad. The cause is the same for town and country — poverty.

Dr M.K. Rajakumar of the University of Malaya commented that the probelm of drop-outs was more serious at the primary school level. He said that in 1957 more than 250,000 children went into primary schools. In 1962, only 68 per cent reached standard six and the following year, 28 per cent made it to form one. Only 5.3 per cent of the students made it to high school. Of this one per cent went to the universities. "Poverty is the main reason for this appalling situation," said Dr Rajakumar.

The number of rural youths who have obtained the secondary school certificates from National Schools has already exceeded 100,000. Nothing has been done to help them out of gloom. All that the government has done has been to advise them to roll up their sleeves and get down to work.

Many unemployed rural youths have lost faith in the Alliance government. They have launched various forms of struggle in their effort to fight for land and employment. They have also launched demonstrations in cities and towns.