A Grade 8 student in Madang turned up drunk and slept through his first exam paper on Monday, sparking concern among education authorities and police.

Madang Provincial Police Commander, Acting Superintendent Robert Baim, said the student arrived intoxicated and did not attempt to write the paper.

“From information received, the boy was drunk when he went to school. He did not write anything but slept through to the end of the exam,” Baim said.

He warned that police will take action as teachers no longer feel safe. “Every child is a man. We are not teaching children,” he said.

Baim said the incident shows a worrying trend of alcohol abuse among students despite repeated awareness on discipline during exams.