THE rowdy behaviour at a school in Klang, which went viral in April, has rocked the nation.
This is especially so for the school administrator, parent-teacher association and the authorities.
On Aug 11, Deputy Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Noor Rashid Ibrahim said 7,000 index crime cases involving juveniles were reported compared with 10,000 cases in previous years.
The number of gangster and bullying cases has increased over the years, especially in schools.
We should not allow the police to shoulder the burden as the public must lend a hand too.
Before we take a step forward, we must go back to the basics.
Firstly, the Education Ministry should re-introduce the Civics subject, which was replaced by Moral studies.
Secondly, parents must monitor their children’s activities.
Thirdly, the ministry should increase discipline at schools by punishing problematic children, such as allowing teachers to use the rotan for serious offences.
Disciplinary teachers should be given greater mandate to execute them.
Bukit Aman Crime Prevention and Community Safety Director Datuk Tajudin Md Isa said school liaison police officers had been ordered to be more proactive and visit their designated schools and submit their monthly report.
Deputy Education Minister Datuk Chong Sin Woon said a classified document had been leaked, revealing that 402 schools had been identified as “problematic and hotspot schools” in the country.
These schools are at risk of disciplinary and drugs problems and have requested that enforcement agencies pay more attention to them.
It is not the sole responsibility of the police. I stand to be corrected that schools have clubs and association, and one such club is Crime Prevention Club.
According to circular Bill 5/2006 from the ministry, the club was introduced in primary and secondary schools.
The setting up of the club is to make students aware about anti-social problems, establish a close collaboration between the school and police, and other enforcement agencies to prevent crime.
Chong had said the ministry had set up a committee to address disciplinary issues, violence, drug abuse and truancy.
Together with the club, we should be able to;
CREATE awareness and sense of responsibility in crime prevention;
CULTIVATE moral values among students; and,
PROVIDE guidelines on crime preventive measures and carry out activities.
PUVANANDERAN GANASAMOORTHY
District chairman (South Klang) Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation