On the first day of school today, pupils of SM Maktab Sabah were greeted not just by teachers, but police officers as well.

The officers were stationed at the school as part of the Kota Kinabalu police's back to school programme, aimed at preventing disciplinary problems.

Kota Kinabalu police chief Habibi Majinji said 54 senior officers and 112 lower-ranking officers will be stationed at 27 secondary schools and 56 primary schools in the district respectively as school communications officers.

“Last year, there were seven reports connected with student discipline. This year we hope there won’t be any,” said Habibi.

The school's principal Nuinda Alias said the programme will motivate students to be on good behaviour.

Playing truant

In Perlis, meanwhile, the state Education Department registered 74 truant students in a programme billed ‘Op Cicir’ to ensure they attend school.

Its director, Izmi Ismail, said the students comprise eight primary school students and 66 secondary school students who skipped school for 60 consecutive days.

According to Izmi, ‘Op Cicir’ is designed to help students who are unaware that they have been expelled or who have not made appeals to continue schooling due to lack of knowledge on the procedures involved.

“This is why we decided to carry out Op Cicir to help these students,” he told reporters after witnessing the registration of Year 1 students in SK Kampong Serdang, Simpang Empat.

Izmi said expelled students will be given a month to lodge appeals with the school administration.

He also stated that 3,851 Year 1 pupils and 3,200 Form 1 students registered for the new school term at 74 primary and 28 secondary schools in the state today.

- Bernama