SHAH ALAM – For most 17-year-olds, the world feels wide open, but for one Malaysian woman, leaving school early shut more doors than it opened.
Seven years later, she’s sharing a raw, honest reflection on the price of skipping education and her story has hit home for thousands online.
When she was 16, she thought she had it all figured out. Working as a waitress, earning her own money and buying what she wanted, while her friends were “still trapped in school.”
“I felt really content. I could make money and buy the things I liked, while my peers were still studying in school. At that time, I thought I was pretty impressive," she wrote anonymously on Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) Confessions.
But the feeling didn’t last. Now 23, she says the decision to quit school at 17 has cost her not just money, but opportunities and dignity.
“Although I feel it is unfair, the reality is cruel. I am, in fact, a person without an academic cert, while what society values is that piece of paper.”
By 19, her classmates were armed with SPM certificates and were getting better-paying jobs. Meanwhile, she was still stuck in the same place, earning RM900 as a waitress.
So she quit again, hoping to find something better. Instead, she ran into a wall.
“I can’t speak Bahasa Malaysia and English fluently. No one wanted to hire me except for sales jobs. At that time, I believed that as long as I worked hard, I would be fine,” she said.
Two weeks later, she got a job, but was fired soon after. Her salary was only RM1,000.
Chasing survival, not dreams
Her parents advised her to learn a skill, so she worked at a salon. But even there, she was paid just RM900 a month, with no overtime or bonuses.
“When I asked if they could increase my salary, they told me that I had no foundation and diploma. Hence, there was no reason to give me a pay raise. Okay, I resigned,” she wrote.
With a bit of savings, she tried her luck in Singapore, only to find out that not having a diploma meant higher taxes and fewer opportunities.
“I rented a bed for two weeks. Because I didn't have a degree or a diploma, all I got were jobs at hawker stalls. I was forced to return to Malaysia,” she said.
Her next shot came through a friend who helped her get a customer service job in an office.
“Other employees worked for eight hours, but I worked 10 hours because the company had given me an opportunity to join them and learn,” she said.
For the first time, she wore office clothes, answered phones, and felt like she belonged. But the dream ended abruptly.
“The manager told me that they are a big company and that they don't employ people without a diploma. I was only able to join because they had a shortage of staff. After hearing that, I put up a strong front, but when I got home, I broke down and cried,” she added.
Her longest job was as a hotel receptionist, where she finally felt valued, until the same old issue surfaced again.
“I was recommended for assistant manager after a year, but my boss demoted me after checking my resume. It was the same reason again: I don’t have an education, no diploma and no qualification,” she said.
The humiliation cut deep.
“My manager got scolded for promoting me. I became a laughing stock at the hotel. I pretended to be strong, but I cried my heart out every night,” she added.
Now, with seven years of working experience and a salary of RM1,700, she has one clear message for those still in school: don’t quit.
“I hope this article can help deter you from walking down a difficult path. Over the years, people who graduated with SPM can make RM2,000 to RM3,000 a month, while diploma and degree holders can make around RM3,000 to RM7,000 a month. But I am only making RM1,700,” she wrote.
Her post has since gone viral. It’s a tough story, but a timely reminder that while experience teaches, education opens doors.