Some students may prefer suspension, says expert

PETALING JAYA: A psychologist has warned that some troubled teens may view being suspended from school as a reward for bad behaviour.

Dr Geshina Ayu Mat Saat, who is also a criminologist, said this was because these teens had been reluctant to go to school in the first place.

“Suspension is not perceived as a punishment for such individuals, but rather a reward for bad behaviour.

“So, how are they actually being punished?”

She said with the family members of the misbehaving teens being responsible for them throughout the suspension period, there could be more opportunities for them to cause mischief.

“This is especially true when both parents are working long hours. Also, if the misbehaving teens are not the type to listen to parental reprimands due to poor parenting styles.

“I do agree that another mechanism needs to be in place, and it should suit the reason for the punishment,” she told FMT.

Geshina was commenting on Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rohani Abdul Karim’s suggestion that other methods of punishment be used instead of relying only on suspensions from school for students with disciplinary problems.

Rohani had said that troubled students should not be suspended from school, but should instead be rehabilitated or placed in transition classes as a form of punishment.

When asked if the troubled students should be counselled instead of punished, Geshina said counselling worked to a certain extent.

“It must be noted that there may be other factors at play that cause students to misbehave and come into conflict with the law.

“These factors may or may not be addressed during the first stages of counselling.

“These include family dynamics, learning disabilities or learning problems, underlying psychiatric or physiological conditions, and social influences,” she said.

Cognitive-behavioural method

Geshina said the punishment meted out must be appropriate for the delinquent act committed, adding that it should educate and shape better behaviour and serve as a deterrent.

The psychologist said many methods and approaches could be used, including the cognitive-behavioural method, which is a short-term, goal-oriented treatment that takes a hands-on, practical approach to problem solving.

Another option is the open-system approach, where communities and social structures are directly involved.

Geshina said when a mistake was made, there should be immediate punishment.

“The longer the punishment is delayed, the less successful it becomes.

“What this means is that physical punishment is not the only means available.

“Dealing with children’s misbehaviour is not solely the school’s problem as the first place of learning good behaviour is in the home environment with parents as role models,” she said.

Rohani had urged the education ministry to review the move to suspend wayward students from school.

She noted that the seven teenagers held in connection with the fire that claimed the lives of 21 students and two teachers at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah tahfiz centre in Kuala Lumpur last month had been suspended from school much earlier.

“Was being suspended from school the best punishment for these troubled teens?

“As such, the role and responsibility of counselling teachers is crucial in helping them to get back to school,” Rohani said.

She added that the issue of suspension as a form of punishment had been brought up to the cabinet for further discussion. FMT