SELF-RESILIENCE THAT INFLUENCES THE DROPOUT AMONG INDIAN STUDENTS IN THE DISTRICT OF KUALA MUDA, KEDAH: A CASE STUDY

Indian students in Malaysia are left behind in terms of education compared to other races. There are several reasons that have been identified as contributing factors to the dropout of Indian students particularly in the secondary schools. Among them is the problem of lack of self-resilience that causes students to overcome the challenges of life and drop out of school. This study aims to examine the influence of self-esteem among Indian students in dropout in Kuala Muda district. The objectives of the study were to identify patterns and characteristics of resilience, to what extent are aspects of student self-resilience influencing dropout and to identify strategies for enhancing student self-esteem. The researcher applies dimensions of selfresilience as in the Masten & Reed Resilience Model. The scope of the study was focused on Indian students in Kuala Muda District and the study sample was limited to five respondents only as this study applied a qualitative study using the interview method. Respondents will be interviewed more than once if it is necessary to clearly identify the nature of the respondents' self-resilience. This research uses student interviewing and observation methods. The study found that Indian students lack the self-confidence to cope with various school life challenges that influences them to drop out of school. However, as time moves on, the state of their mind enters into a moment of maturity that emphasizes that they still have the hope and confidence in themselves to improve their lives despite their difficulties and shortcomings. Some suggestions have also been put forward to enhance the resilience of Indian students.