In Kota Bharu, the presence of tigers has been identified as a major factor contributing to the dropout rates among indigenous Orang Asli students in Gua Musang.
According to Kosmo, the Director of Education for Kelantan, Datuk Mohd. Zamri Abdul Aziz shared that the threat posed by these wild animals has led to a fear among Orang Asli children.
The concern over tiger attacks is deterring them from attending school and consequently affecting their education.
Initiative to bring them back to school
To address this issue, the Kelantan State Education Department (JPN Kelantan) has collaborated with the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) to venture into Orang Asli territories as part of an initiative to persuade students to return to school.
“Following discussions with Orang Asli leaders, we have successfully encouraged them (Orang Asli students) to return to school.
“They actually understand the necessity of attending school,” Datuk Mohd. Zamri stated during a press conference after a visit marking the first day of the 2024/2025 school session at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Ismail Petra 1.
He highlighted that the dropout rates among Orang Asli students in Gua Musang, including those in remote areas, are attributed to several factors including safety concerns and the customs of the Orang Asli community itself.
“Through a recent meeting held at SK Bihai, we managed to persuade 17 out of 30 Orang Asli students to return to school. “
“These efforts are carried out periodically in collaboration with relevant departments including the Department of Orang Asli Development (Jakoa) and the police force,” he added, noting the supportive role played by Tok Batin and Orang Asli leadership in Gua Musang.
