SEVEN hundred and sixty school children have to date been suspended for various disciplinary problems, including fighting, since last year.

State Education, Science and Technology Committee chairman Datuk Yaakub Md Amin said of the figure, 422 were suspended from school last year while from January to November this year, 338 of them were hauled up and barred from attending classes for a specific period.

"Overall in the past two years, 975 students in the state have had their records included in the student disciplinary system of the Education Ministry for fighting," he said in reply to Lim Jak Wong (DAP-Bachang).

"For students who have completed their suspension, they would undergo counselling upon their return to school besides being enrolled in the school's personality excellence programme," he said.

Yaakub said the government, namely the ministry and police had started a programme to have police officers help school authorities check on students involved in fights and other criminal activities.

"We have also organised numerous education and crime prevention programmes with other government agencies such as the Youth and Sports Department, National Drugs Agency and the State Islamic Affairs Department."