KARANGAN DRUG REHAB CENTRE TO RESUME OPERATIONS AFTER UPGRADES

ALOR SETAR, Nov 10 (Bernama) -- The Karangan Drug Rehabilitation Centre (PUSPEN) in Kulim, closed since Dec 1, 2022, will resume operations following its upgrades, according to the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK).

In a statement, AADK announced that Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail officiated the handover and launch of a new school block and the upgrade of PUSPEN Karangan today.

"PUSPEN Karangan now boasts top-tier facilities to implement the Client Education Access Programme (PAPK) for clients under the age of 18 that AADK introduced in 2015.

"The objective of implementing PAPK is to provide clients with the opportunity to resume their education and schooling at AADK facilities while receiving treatment and rehabilitation, supported by academic guidance through an in-situ approach," read the statement.

AADK also noted that the initiative aims to enhance and celebrate the diversity of expertise through a smart collaboration between the Ministry of Education (MOE) and AADK while introducing an integrity school system at AADK, leveraging the expertise of teachers and MOE.

"In 2015, 15 clients successfully registered and sat for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), and statistics show a steady increase in the number of candidates each year: 28 candidates in 2016, 34 candidates (2017), 38 candidates (2018), 40 candidates (2019), 34 candidates (2020), and 25 candidates (2021).

"With the new facilities, AADK will place all clients currently enrolled in the PAPK across Peninsular Malaysia, and the facility can accommodate up to 100 clients at one time. Currently, 25 clients are enrolled in the programme," it added.

AADK elaborated that the achievements of these clients in the SPM examination have allowed many of them to pursue higher education.

"The clients involved in the SPM programme are fully supported by volunteer instructors, comprising polytechnic lecturers and secondary school teachers from nearby schools.

"The PAPK programme has also expanded beyond just preparing for the SPM examination to include basic literacy and numeracy (3M) education - reading, writing, and arithmetic - given that some young clients face issues with educational neglect," it added.

-- BERNAMA