The Education Ministry is planning to give full authority to the State Education Departments (JPN) and the District Education Offices (PPD) in each state to tackle issues of drug addiction and moral misconduct among students.

Its minister, Mahdzir Khalid, said it was to allow JPNs and PPDs to act decisively, so that the problems could be nipped in the bud early on.

"The ministry will take more decisive action and intends to empower JPNs and PPDs to deal with it. PPDs will fully investigate the students involved before reporting to the JPN director for further action.

"At the school level, we've done more than that. We have met parents, village security and development committees, parent-teacher associations, as well as discussed with the school management, but there are certain limitations as the problems are said to occur outside of school," Mahdzir said.

He told reporters this after the incentive contribution ceremony for students who achieved outstanding results in the 2015 UPSR examination in the Padang Terap District, held at the Kuala Nerang Mara College in Kuala Nerang, Kedah, yesterday.

Also present were Kedah Local Government, Water Supply, Water and Energy Resources and Non-Governmental Organisations Committee chairperson Badrul Hisham Hashim and Kedah Education Department director Azuyah Hassan.

- Bernama