KUALA LUMPUR: Peer pressure to lead a luxurious lifestyle at a young age and a lack of awareness about the importance of education are key factors causing many students to opt out of the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination.

Former Education director-general Tan Sri Alimuddin Mohd Dom said this worrying trend is linked not only to students' psychology but also to personal issues, including family problems in some cases.

Alimuddin said the economic hardships students face further influence their decision to skip the SPM, and instead focus on earning an income.

"Yes, we cannot deny that economic hardship plays a role. Some students have parents who are no longer around or are ill, or face various family issues that impact their income, forcing them to work to earn money.

"However, peer group influence also plays a part, with teenagers today feeling pressured to own luxury items such as phones, motorcycles, laptops, and branded clothing.

"Sometimes parents cannot afford these items, so the students feel compelled to work and earn money themselves. This situation eventually causes them to lose interest in taking the exam," he told the New Straits Times.

He added that what is particularly worrying is the need for more awareness among students about the significance of the SPM certificate, which is often viewed as just a piece of paper instead of a crucial stepping stone for their future.

"They lack awareness of the importance of the SPM. Students must understand that the SPM is a critical part of our education system and a passport to their future.

"Achieving the SPM should instill a sense of confidence and pride. It signifies that they have successfully completed 11 years of education. This sense of accomplishment is what I find lacking among students," he said.

It was reported that 10,160 students registered for the Sijil Peperiksaan Malaysia (SPM) 2023 did not sit for the exams.

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Centre of Education and Diversity senior lecturer Dr Anuar Ahmad said many students prefer to work at a young age to earn their own pocket money.

"These students often miss exams because they have already found jobs, whether these positions provide wages or allowances. This gives them the chance to earn pocket money or a salary. Once they start earning money, they begin to contemplate discontinuing their education."

However, Anuar said this issue cannot be ignored and that efforts must be made to address it to prevent it from continuing to affect the students.

"Certainly, a small percentage still lack the motivation and confidence to sit for the SPM examination. The thought of 'even if I take the SPM, I will surely fail' is strong in their minds.

"Every school must have a system to monitor students at risk of academic failure. Class teachers and counseling teachers must closely observe the progress of these at-risk students.

Commenting on the nation's SPM results, which are the best since 2013, Anuar said Malaysia's national education system has disproven claims from international studies that the Covid-19 pandemic negatively impacted children's education.

"The students receiving their SPM results today were in Form 2 in 2020, Form 3 in 2021, Form 4 in 2022, and Form 5 in 2023, all during the Covid-19 period. This means they experienced the entire Covid-19 and post-Covid-19 period.

"Interestingly, this group achieved the best National Average Grade for SPM in the past 10 years, since 2013," he said.

He said although Malaysia kept schools closed for an extended period due to the pandemic, the educational system was not adversely affected and even achieved better SPM results than in pre-pandemic times.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2024/05/1056006/economic-struggles-and-peer-pressure-lead-spm-dropout-surge-say-experts