Students' problems: Education Ministry to discuss with NGO - Mahdzir

The Education Ministry will discuss with the National Union of Teaching Profession (NUTP), parents-teachers associations and relevant non-governmental organisations on the best approach to resolve students' problems.

Its minister, Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid, said the discussion, to be held next month, would also involve legal advisers to enlighten the ministry on the legal aspects of the actions to be taken.

He said as the minister, he would have to get the views of various quarters, especially the stake holders, before a decision could be made on the matter.

"Personally, I cannot accept a 15 or 16 year-old student to be a bully on involved in violence and such a student should be expelled or sent to prison, but we have to get the opinion of our stake holders," he told reporters after presenting award to headmasters and principals of schools with outstanding achievements (TBPGB) here Tuesday.

On the TBPGB, Mahdzir said 129 or 65.15 per cent of the 198 schools selected for the award were in teh rural areas, with 36 of them in Sabah.

-- BERNAMA