The large number of SPM leavers from 2020 and 2021 who did not pursue their studies has become a national crisis, with many sharing opinions on the reasons behind it. Both the government and the student’s mentality are being heavily questioned.

Insight:

• The conversations on the SPM Leavers Reject Education garnered around 2.5K with 46.1K social interactions that potentially reached 3.6M users.
• The majority of people concur that school-leavers are opting out of tertiary education due to financial constraints and the low minimum income established by the government. Additionally, they feel less motivated when witnessing the struggles of recent graduates who are barely making ends meet.
• Furthermore, the high social media penetration among students has resulted in many of them being significantly influenced by the lavish lifestyles of Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) and social media influencers. These students prefer pursuing careers as TikTok influencers and joining affiliate programs to earn money. They perceive these opportunities as more advantageous than pursuing further tertiary education.
• As interest in education declines, the country will be negatively affected if new talent in scientific and critical fields diminishes. The government should implement strategies to attract students to further their studies, emphasizing that education holds greater value than fame and money.