Teacher forced several pupils to smoke cigars as a punishment
By Rozanna Latif, Adie Suri Zulkefli and Adib Povera
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KUALA LUMPUR: The actions of a teacher who allegedly forced several pupils to smoke cigars as a punishment is unacceptable and a breach of the procedures. Education director-general Tan Sri Alimuddin Mohd Dom said teachers must adhere to established guidelines when disciplining pupils.
"Pupils found smoking should be warned or sent for counselling," he said, adding that any further action should have been left to the state Education Department. A male teacher of SK Mahang, Kulim, was alleged to have forced the Year Four, Five and Six pupils to take five puffs of a cigar each after they admitted to having tried smoking.
He is said to have done so after the pupils were caught smoking in the boys' restroom. Those who admitted to smoking, including a female pupil, were told to gather at the science laboratory where the teacher allegedly forced them to smoke the cigars.
This had sparked anger among the pupils' parents who claimed that the teacher had gone overboard in his action and called for the authorities to investigate the incident. Kedah Education Department director Shahidan Abdul Rahman said the teacher had been ordered to submit a written report.
Shahidan expects a full report from the Kulim district education office on his desk today. "I am disappointed over what had happened as it is clearly against the principles of a teacher," he said.
"I have asked the respective parties, including parents and the teacher himself, to submit a written report on the incident before any further action can be taken," he told the New Straits Times.
In Alor Star, a team comprising officials from the ministry and state Education Department visited the school yesterday. The team arrived in the morning and spent several hours taking down the teacher's statement and that of several school officials.
It was also understood that the school's Parent-Teacher Association vice-president Abdullah Muda also had his "statement recorded". Abdullah said the school would organise a meeting with the pupils' parents next week but declined to comment further.
