Police should focus on threats to students, not truancy, say experts

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Effendi Ewan Matore contends that law enforcement should concentrate on protecting students from external threats, rather than managing truancy. He argues that schools and the social welfare department should retain responsibility for addressing student absenteeism through investigation, counseling, and addressing underlying issues.

Effendi cautions that police lack the necessary training and expertise to tackle the root causes of truancy, such as poverty, learning difficulties, and family problems. He maintains that the police's role should not extend to monitoring the personal behavior of students or compiling security profiles on them.

Suhaiza Hanim Zailani from Universiti Malaya’s Ungku Aziz Centre for Development Studies endorses profiling as a useful tool to identify the reasons behind student absenteeism and determine the appropriate intervention. She emphasizes that students who skip school should not be automatically viewed as potential offenders, but rather as individuals who may require assistance.

Police involvement can prove beneficial when dealing with issues like gang activity, substance abuse, or other crimes affecting students. However, Suhaiza advocates handling truancy cases involving no such threats by education authorities, working in tandem with parents, counselors, and welfare agencies. She stresses that addressing reasons for student absence, such as financial difficulties or bullying, leads to more sustainable solutions than merely returning students to school without tackling the underlying issues.

Suhaiza warns that an overemphasis on police involvement could lead to negative consequences for students, including feelings of shame, fear, or labeling as offenders, which might push them further away from school. She underscores the importance of protecting students' privacy when the police profile them, ensuring that gathered information is used to support the students rather than creating records that could impact their future.