Student Discipline: No Plans To Give Teachers Police Power

The government has no plans to grant teachers with power similar to the police to arrest students breaking rules outside the school compound. Deputy Education Minister Datuk Noh Omar said the student's disciplinary problems outside the school were out of the teachers' jurisdiction and should be attended to by the police.

"Teachers are only responsible to teach and they can discipline students in school areas, but if the offences are outside the school compound, it is the business of the enforcement authority," he told reporters.

Noh said however, his ministry had directed all state Education Departments to each set up a committee with the police, local authorities and non-governmental organisations to overcome students' disciplinary problems outside the school. The public will then have a channel in the form of the committee to make complaints against students involved in activities that breached the law such as frequenting game and entertainment centres, he added.

This is as it should be. Teachers basically should not be forced to to perform police duties too. As it is they are already standing in for lots of irresponsible parents who care more about making money than think of their childrens' future. With a comprehensive all-encompassing curriculum the teachers are already saddled with more work than they can handle. The last thing they need is to have this responsibility thrown around their neck as well.

It is up to parents to watch, teach and discipline their kids and not anyone else. If they shirk in this important role as a parent, then they should be brought before the law along with their law-breaking offsprings. Producing kids is the easy part, raising them properly requires patience and hard work.