The state should put an onus on itself to implement measures to reduce the number of early school leavers, the University Students' Council said in its recommendations for the Education Act Review.

The KSU said that the current early school leavers strategy was a positive step in the proposal of holistic preventive measures to minimise dropouts from secondary and post-secondary education.

However, there should be cooperation between education entities and other stakeholders to provide multiple pathways of education and training suited for students with different skills, abilities and mind-sets.

There should be an attentive mechanism which gauged student abilities and did not undermine the potential of students who did not excel academically. Other pathways of education might include trades and vocational work.

KSU said that unfortunately, it might be the case that the number of dropouts remained significant because students with academic difficulties were not made aware and empowered enough to engage in a rewarding pathway of education.

So the ministry establishes an outreach mechanism, in different secondary institutions, to promote the available pathways of education. This mechanism might also make higher education institutions more tangible to secondary students.

At secondary level, some students might feel that reaching tertiary education was close to impossible.

A proper campaign would help diminish such perceptions, KSU said.

KSU's recommendations may be read in the pdf link below.

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