schoolchildren, at all levels, is disproportionately high compared to the national average. It is found that for every 100 Orang Asli children entering Primary 1, only about 6 will be expected to reach Form 5 eleven years later. That is, 94 per cent would have dropped out by then. The dropout rate is also high between the transition from Primary 6 to Form 1. In 2003, of the 3,333 Orang Asli schoolchildren who finished Standard 6, only 1,869 continued into Form 1. That is, a total of 1,464 (43.9 per cent) had dropped out after primary school. This accounts for the lower enrolment numbers at the secondary level. However, merely attending school is not fully indicative of educational attainment. Pass rates among Orang Asli schoolchildren have not been too encouraging, though it has been increasing over the years. For example, Lim (1997: 45) comments that, the percentage of passes among Orang Asli schoolchildren taking the SRP (Primary 6) exam in 1990-1992 was between 43 to 59 per cent, compared to 69 to 78 per cent at the national level. Similarly, for the 1993-1995 period, the proportion of Orang Asli passing the SPM (Secondary 5) exams was 51 to 54 per cent, compared to 66-67 per cent nationally. While the pass rate is expected to the higher in recent years, it is not expected to be significantly higher since many Orang Asli students would have dropped out prior to these public examinations. Usual Reasons Given for Dropping Out So why do Orang Asli drop out of school? Many reasons have been proffered as to why Orang Asli schoolchildren drop out of school, especially at the primary level. Very recently, in an attempt to explain why 2,304 (44.6 per cent) of the 5,168 Orang Asli studying in primary schools in Pahang from 2000 to 2004 did not continue to Form 1, the State Health, Social Welfare and Orang Asli Affairs Committee chairman Datuk Ishak Muhammad, citing a study by a local group, said that it was mainly due to boredom and laziness (The Star 14.1.2006). ORANG ASLI – RIGHTS, PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS 49