Abdul Karim (fourth right), flanked by deputy ministers Datuk Gerald Rentap Jabu (third right) and Datuk Dr Ripin Lamat (fourth left), in a group photo with members of the Committee after the meeting.
KUCHING (March 17): Sarawak is being looked upon as among the states with the least cases of school dropouts in Malaysia, said Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
The Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Minister said this achievement has attracted the other states to refer to Sarawak on managing school dropout issue.
He said the Sarawak Education Department, which presented the topic on school dropout issue at the Youth Development Committee Meeting 2025 today, informed him and other attendees that other states now want Sarawak to share its experience on the matter.
“We do have our problems, but everything is manageable now especially with ‘keciciran’ (dropouts) among students. To such an extent, that we were informed by the Sarawak Education Department that they have been engaged by the other states to share the experience in Sarawak—why in Sarawak the school dropouts are among the lowest compared to other states,” he said to reporters after chairing the meeting.
On another matter, Abdul Karim said the meeting also discussed the Second Youth Index study to be implemented with Institute of Youth Research Malaysia (IYRES) this year.
He said Sarawak will be the first state to conduct the study twice with IYRES after the first one in 2018.
According to him, the second study is to find out the youth aspiration and wellbeing in Sarawak after the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The study will be conducted in all 45 districts in Sarawak. The goal is to see the aspirations of youths and their wellbeing, and the youths will be asked on a number of issues like how they look at the government, what they are hoping for in the area where they are being surveyed.
“This study involves six domains, including education, economy, mental and physical well-being, political socialisation, statehood and democracy, values and identity, media and digital citizenship. It’s very important. When we get this data, it will be documented,” he said.
He also pointed out that from the study, his ministry would tailor programmes based on the feedback received on the youths’ aspirations.
“The Premier will have the book (documenting the data) also. So in a way he will know of the aspirations of the youths from each area, what do they want, what do they need and to the level of whether they are happy with the government,” he added.
He also said the meeting saw a briefing by the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) on cyber crime cases involving youths.
The annual meeting was the eighth to be held since the Youth Development Committee was established in 2018.
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