The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry (KPWKM) has proposed that suspension from school as a punishment for troubled students should be replaced with rehabilitation or transition classes.

Its minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim urged the Education Ministry to review the suspension of wayward students from school as many of them were more inclined to be associating with the wrong people and involved in crimes.

Referring to the fire incident that claimed the lives of 21 students and two teachers at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah Tahfiz centre, she said seven of the teenagers arrested as suspects were adolescents who had been suspended from school.

"Obviously here, is the suspension the best punishment for troubled teens. As such, the role and responsibility of counselling teachers are very crucial in shaping them to get back to school," she told the media after launching the National Counselling Month 2017 here today.

She said the matter was brought to the Cabinet meeting and hoped the Education Ministry could pay attention to the proposal for further discussion.

"In fact all ministries have been directed to propose intervention programmes to address the current social problems," she added. - BERNAMA