KUALA LUMPUR: Students with disciplinary issues, especially those involved in bullying cases, will be sent for a stint with the police and the armed forces.
These students will be subjected to continuous theoretical and physical training.
Deputy Education Minister II Datuk Chong Sin Woon said the programme is a collaborative effort between his ministry and the two forces under the National Blue Ocean Strategy (NBOS).
“Under NBOS, the ministry has been carrying out programmes with various government agencies, including the armed forces and police, to address disciplinary problems among students.
“This method utilises the expertise and skills of both the police and armed forces, who are tasked with organising the activities,” he told the Dewan Rakyat today.
Chong said the programme has been in existence since 2013. Around 5,300 students from 140 schools are sent for the programme annually.
Chong was responding to a question by Datuk Mohd Zaim Abu Hasan's (BN-Parit) on the ministry’s plans or programmes under NBOS to create awareness among students on their physical and psychological actions.
He said another programme under NBOS involves the appointment of a police liaison officer for schools to help them implement crime prevention programmes as well as address disciplinary issues.
He added that the establishment of Crime Prevention Clubs in schools with the Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation was also another NBOS effort.
"The Education Ministry is aware that disciplinary problems including bullying activities are still happening in schools.
"We are looking at addressing the issue seriously through various mechanisms such as prevention, empowerment of the law, intervention and collaborative efforts," he said.
The schools, Chong said, have been given reminders on ways to address the issue via various awareness programmes and student personality-building clubs such as the peer-counsellors club.
He said the authorities have also formed disciplinary committees to carry out investigations, as well as suggest punishments and steps for intervention by the school administration.
"Counsellors have been given skills to address stress among students and carry out personality tests, as well as identify students who are prone to violence and bullying.
"All teachers are also disciplinary teachers, and there are pamphlets on ways to tackle the bullying problem. There is also a module on how to develop loving teachers and families as well as developing a school-loving culture," he said.