Parents told to play role in tackling drug issue in schools

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SEREMBAN: Parents need to play a role in combating drug abuse among school students and not leave that responsibility to the teachers alone.

Deputy Education Minister, Datuk Chong Sin Woon said drug abuse occurred a lot outside the school perimeters, thus it was impossible for teachers to monitor the students all the time.

“After school hours, it is the parents’ responsibility to watch over their children. Nevertheless, schools are also watching out for students involved in drug abuse, whether as addicts or pushers,” he said after handing out cheques for allocations to 43 recipients comprising schools and non-governmental organisations, here, yesterday.

Chong said when a student had been categorised as trying out drugs, the student would be monitored for three months and if he continued to take drugs, he would be reported to the National Anti-Drugs Agency for further action.

Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed had reportedly said that in 2015,1,475 school students were found to be involved in drug abuse, with 73 per cent of them taking amphetamine-type stimulants, 19.2 per cent smoking cannabis and eight per cent taking other narcotic drugs. — Bernama