Expelling students: Don’t take easy way out, education ministry told

PETALING JAYA: Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) today criticised the practice of expelling students as a way of dealing with disciplinary problems, saying this was “not the right move”.

Speaking to FMT, TI-M chief Akhbar Satar said the education ministry should not take “the easy way out”.

“The ministry should help by encouraging them to join anti-delinquent groups,” he said, referring to students with disciplinary issues.

According to Akhbar, students who are expelled for committing crimes would be sent to Henry Gurney schools, which were established to provide education and rehabilitation for juvenile inmates.

However, if students with non-criminal disciplinary issues were expelled, he said some might become drug addicts, which would only add to crime statistics.

Akhbar was commenting on a report that 442 students had been expelled so far this year for disciplinary problems such as gangsterism, bullying, drugs, truancy and criminal matters.

Education Minister Mahdzir Khalid said expulsion was the last resort as students with disciplinary problems were given counselling first.

However, Akhbar said the ministry should create a platform such as special schools to monitor and reform such students.

At these schools, students could undergo counselling from specialists to address their specific problem areas, he added.

“This differs from just being counselled generally.

“This should be done as it involves their future and the future of the nation. Some of these students may not be good academically but may be good in other technical fields.”

Akhbar also called for a review of the purpose of Malaysia’s education system.

“Is the objective just to get a job, or is it to train the students to become a good person or citizen? The main aim of attending schools should be to train good people. That should be the priority.

“This will make better and more honest employees and citizens.”

He added that there were presently 70 new drug addicts every day.

“It was shocking to hear that in 2016, the National Anti-Drugs Agency recorded a total of 30,847 addicts compared to 26,668 addicts in 2015. The number of new addicts increased from 20,281 to 22,925.” -FMT