KANGAR: The headmaster of SMK Dato Jaafar Hassan, one of the 11 schools in Perlis listed for having disciplinary and drug issues, is looking at the matter from another angle.
Headmaster Wan Zaini Wan Saad said the main issue faced by the school was its surrounding area, and not the school itself.
He said the school is surrounded by ketum farms, which result in some students getting addicted to ketum juice.
Although none of the students had been caught for consuming ketum juice in school, he said the school would take the necessary measures to address the threat.
“We have been working closely with the relevant authorities such as the police to prevent the addiction problem from spreading to our students.
“Among the programmes carried out at the school include motivational and awareness campaigns to remind the students on the negative implications of drug abuse," he said when met at the school today.
Wan Zaini also urged all quarters, especially parents and the local community, to shoulder the responsibility in addressing the problem so that it would not compromise the future generation.
It was reported yesterday that a total of 402 Malaysian schools were identified with disciplinary and drug issues.