21 Proceedings of the 6 th International Conference on Educational Reform (ICER 2013) : ASEAN Education in the 21 st Century © Mahasarakham University, 2013 Factors Influencing The Retention of Orang Asli Students 1 Azlin Norhaini Mansor, 2 Farzena Balan, 1 Mohd Sattar Rasul, 3 Rose Amnah Raof 1 Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 2 Open University Malaysia, 3 University Malaya Abstract Given that much effort has been invested in identifying factors causing Malaysians Orang Asli students to drop out of school, equal importance should also be given towards identifying factors influencing the retention of Orang Asli students in the education system. The objective of this research was to identify factors that influenced the retention of Orang Asli students in secondary schools. Pertinent documents and 10 Orang Asli students from a secondary school were interviewed. Findings revealed that Orang Asli students recognized their family, peers, self- motivation and teachers as the most influencing retention factors. The findings of this research suggest that although planning and decision making higher up in the bureaucracy may be needed, some measures can be independently and immediately implemented in schools seeking to increase the retention rate of the Orang Asli students Key words: Orang Asli , Retention , Drop out Introduction The Director General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, in her foreword of Education Counts: Towards the Millennium development Goals) equates education as a tool to empower people of all ages with the ‘…knowledge, skills and confidence they need to shape a better future’. Thus , at the World Education Forum (UNESCO, 2011), the Education for All (EFA) movement has identified six goals to be met by 164 government, including Malaysia, by the year 2015. This research proposal is in accordance with Goal 2: Ensuring that by 2015 all children, particularly girls, children in difficult circumstances and those belonging to ethnic minorities, have access to, and complete, free and compulsory primary education of good quality. The education of special groups, such as the indigenous people, illicit special concern from many parties mainly due to their marginalized existence in society. Goal 2 addresses the issue of the education of indigenous people and call upon governments to take an active part in promoting and safeguarding the education of their own indigenous population. The education of indigenous people is important not only to themselves but also their native country. With education, the indigenous people are equipped with the necessary tools and exposure to comprehend access and seize the rights as indigenous people, which will positively lead to the progress of the individuals and ultimately their community. These people are untapped and under developed human resource that are able to contribute towards economic development, environment