Science, technology and innovation minister Dr Adham Baba said the research was important to confirm a statistics department report in July that more than 70% of students who sat for the SPM examination would not be continuing their studies.

If the figure was accurate, it was a worrying issue that could scuttle the government’s plans to make Malaysia a high-technology nation by 2030, he said.

Adham said ASM’s findings would be tabled to the government for follow-up action.

“If it is true that there is a 70% drop out rate, it would be a big loss to the nation. We need to think of the early measures we must take to produce a high-technology generation with interest in science and innovation.”

He spoke to reporters after opening a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) carnival here, held in conjunction with the national science week.