Education Minister Mahdzir Khalid said that his proposal to suspend school bullies from school for up to a year had been misinterpreted by critics.

"One year does not mean from June 2016 to June 2017. It is only for this year. They can return to school next year... It is only for the current year," he told reporters after the monthly Education Ministry gathering in Putrajaya today.

Moreover, Mahdzir said that suspension periods would take into consideration the gravity of the offences.

"Say in a group, there is a leader and five followers... Perhaps some of them would be suspended for only a few months," he said, adding that the students still have educational commitments despite being suspended.

"They were supposed to be expelled, but our government doesn't practice this so we merely suspend them... It doesn't mean that if I say 'one year' means it would necessarily be one year.

"We will suspend the guilty party for a suitable period and during that period, says if he was suspended five months, what should he do? For example, he could go to Henry Gurney school for (motivational courses). Go!

"This way, he could (receive) vocational training," explained Mahdzir.

On Sunday, Mahdzir said his ministry was mulling heavy suspension as a method to curb the increase in school bullying. Offenders would also have to perform community service or undergo rehabilitation programmes before being allowed to resume normal schooling.

He added that the ministry was currently eliciting public feedback on the matter.

Thus far, feedback has mostly been negative.

Trauma-free camps

Meanwhile, Mahdzir said that character building activities for schoolchildren can be allowed as long as the participants were not subject to traumatising experiences.

He said organisers of such activities should also seek prior permission from schools and the district education department.

"Programmes involving character building for students can be continued, but it should not involve matters that can cause trauma for the students.

"We won't allow that. Before holding these activities, the organisers should talk to the schools involved," he said.

Mahdzir was responding to questions related to a public outcry over a widely-circulated video clip depicting young children wading through a pit filled with snakes.

The incident took place at the Kuala Kangsar Civil Defence Force grounds while the children were reportedly from SK Beluru.

They were participating in the 32nd edition of the training camp, which saw the debut of snake pit crossing.

Last night, Harian Metro's website quoted Perak Civil Defence Force colonel Mohd Noor Hassan Ashari Sulaiman stating that four instructors and six assistants had been suspended from the training programme.