Set up safety nets to help problematic youths

THE seven boys suspected of planning and carrying out the arson attack on the religious school last week are school dropouts (apparently they were expelled) and were involved in substance abuse.

We categorise these youths as youth at risk. Their nature is disruptive, destructive and dangerous. They need care, attention, counselling, guidance and connection.

They must be made to realise that they too deserve a rightful place in mainstream society.

MySkills Foundation is a sanctuary for such students. We run a transformation and skills college. We only take students who feel alienated by the formal mainstream education, who are expelled and those who are not keen in academic studies.

I remember one of our students, Suresh (not his real name) aged 12, who beat up a boy aged 16 and broke his hand simply because that boy uttered some words ridiculing his mum.

Luckily, both boys were with us. We contained the situation by counselling, advising and making them understand what both of them did was wrong. We also expressed our sympathy to their families.

But we must remember that there are thousands of Malay, Indian, Chinese and other students who are at risk.

We need to save them before more move on to the path of delinquency.

Every year, 20% of school-going children drop out before reaching Form 5. They drop out at various standards or forms. Out of this 20% , one can easily categorise 10% of them as being at risk youths. The current education system does not have any safety net for such children.

It’s time to think about these youths. The damage, or collateral damage, they can cause once they are fully engaged in crime and other social ills would be much greater than the money we need to invest in implementing the right methods to mould them into good citizens.

Let’s think beyond race and religion for the sake of a safe Malaysia for everyone.

S. PASUPATHI MySkills Foundation Kuala Lumpur