Kota Kinabalu: Tackling school dropout rates especially involving student attendance in SPM examinations is among eight non-negotiable area the Sabah Education Department aims to strengthen.
“Our approach must begin at Form 4, not Form 5 and requires proactive involvement from both principals and headmasters,” State Education Director Datuk Raisin Saidin said in his mandate in conjunction with the Sabah Education Department’s 2025 New Year Address at SJKC Chung Hwa, Likas, here, Wednesday.
Advertisement“We must maximise our available data such as attendance trends in finding the best methods to minimise this dropout issue from an earlier stage,” he said.
He noted that the Department’s flagship WeHelp Programme has shown promising results in combating student attendance issues.
“The initiative which implements an integrated student welfare assistance system achieved an impressive 84.4 per cent participation rate in 2024, with 430,269 out of 509,969 primary and secondary school students completing the programme’s survey.
“Through strategic partnerships with State government-linked agencies, non-governmental organisations and statutory bodies, the programme secured RM1,190,750 in funding.
Advertisement (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});“This enabled the provision of eyeglasses to 4,500 students, year-long meal programmes for 250 students and school supplies for 500 students,” he said.
Addressing school well-being, Raisin pointed out the importance of local-level resolution for bullying incidents and called for heightened sensitivity in handling sexual harassment cases.
Advertisement (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});He said such issues must be addressed at school, district and State levels, with administrators receiving proper training in investigation and case management.
“Lately, we see bullying issues among students still happening and I think this must be resolved at all levels.
“It is the main focus in looking at matters leading to how we manage crisis and principles must be trained to manage investigations and handle cases better.
“Similarly with sexual harassment cases which actually require administrators to have high awareness and sensitivity, unbiased reactions and not normalise indecent exposure or lewd jokes.
“I need to emphasise this also because from reports we receive, some still consider that it does not need to reach much higher levels,” he said.
Another non-negotiable area is the Madani Generation Programme, a key initiative for fostering patriotism and national unity.
“With Sabah’s multiracial composition, we are uniquely positioned to become a model for other Malaysian states in implementing this programme,” he said.
He also called for attention to the school classification system, namely Focus Schools which require immediate attention and support, Aspiration Schools which need reform to overcome stagnation and Inspiration Schools which qualify for full autonomy with an emphasis on advanced leadership and innovation.
In addition, he touched on professional development with comprehensive measures announced for enhancing School-Based Assessment.
These include establishing showcase schools in each district, appointing School-Based Assessment ambassadors and creating robust information channels from the ministry to the classroom level, with plans to utilise RTM Sabah for public awareness campaigns.
Regarding international assessments, he pointed out Malaysia’s continued participation in Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM).
“There is a need for attitude changes among teachers and students especially as these assessments transition to digital formats,” he said.
The numeracy and literacy programme remains a priority, especially in Focus Schools where basic reading, writing and arithmetic skills require improvement.
“I do not think we should stop at the screening we implemented early last year or with the organisation of various programmes that have been implemented.
“We must ensure that these literacy and numeracy programmes become the focus especially in Focus Schools where reading, writing and arithmetic skills are still low,” he said.
“Through continuous improvement efforts aligned with these eight focus areas, we aim to elevate Sabah’s educational standards.
“The commitment of our educators at all levels be it departmental, district and school is important in providing high-impact services and upholding educational excellence in Sabah,” he said.