Mandatory teacher training needed to tackle bullying, says Irene Chang
SIBU (Aug 16): The Ministry of Education and the Sarawak Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development must make teacher training on recognising and addressing early signs of bullying mandatory, said former Bukit Assek assemblywoman Irene Chang.
She said schools should also provide anonymous reporting channels for students, establish clear SOPs and intervention protocols, and ensure immediate counselling support for both victims and perpetrators.
'Protecting our students requires more than reactive measures. It requires equipping educators with the skills and courage to act decisively and compassionately, before bullying escalates,' she said in a statement.
Chang was commenting on the death of 13-year-old Zara Qirina Mahathir, who was found unsconcious on the ground floor of her dormitory at SMKA Tun Mustapha in Papar on July 16 and pronounced dead the following day.
Chang said the heart-breaking incident of Zara was a clarion call to the Sarawak Education Department and the school authorities in the state to remain very alert against school bullying.
She said Zara's case was a clarion call for Sarawak education authorities to remain vigilant against bullying, stressing that the problem is entrenched in the state as well.
'Bullying in Sarawak is too often swept under the carpet. Surveys show nearly one in three Malaysian students experience bullying, and the figures here may be higher as many cases go unreported. Parents fear retaliation, while schools may want to protect their record. This culture of silence is unacceptable,' she said
She said the reasons for not reporting the school bullying are painfully familiar: school authorities determined to protect their 'good record' and parents afraid that speaking out will lead to retaliation against their children.
'This culture of silence is unacceptable. It not only robs victims of the protection they deserve, but also empowers bullies to continue their behaviour without consequence.'
Since the recent spate of university/school bullying, including Zara's tragic case, Chang said helplines and awareness campaigns have been much publicized by the authorities.
'However, to truly curb and reduce the numbers of such incidences happening in schools, much more needs to be done to prevent and intervene before bullying is allowed to take root.
Without proper training, even well-meaning educators may dismiss, downplay, or mishandle cases – leaving victims unprotected and perpetrators unchecked, she claimed.
Additionally, Chang said school bullying does not only encompass physical acts of bullying.
In reality, she said it includes mental and emotional abuse as in persistent mocking, public humiliation, deliberate exclusion, spreading false rumors, and targeted online harassment.
'These behaviors can erode a child's self-worth, cause anxiety or depression, and leave scars that are invisible but long-lasting.
And because this type of bullying leaves no physical bruises, it is often dismissed or overlooked.'
She said teachers, parents and school authorities must therefore be trained to recognise these subtle but destructive behaviors and act swiftly to stop them. bullying education Irene Chang teachers training
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
7 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
Justice for Zara Qairina must not be tied to boycotting Merdeka, says Fahmi
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16 — Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil today urged Malaysians not to boycott Merdeka celebrations over the death of schoolgirl Zara Qairina Mahathir. He stressed that the case is already being investigated by police and an inquest has been requested, BH Online reported this afternoon. 'Merdeka is a national event and I encourage us to celebrate it. I too want justice for Zara, I too want justice for Faris, and I too want justice for Syamsul,' he was quoted as saying at a cultural programme in Pantai Dalam today. The death of 13-year-old Zara, a SMKA Tun Mustapha student in Papar, Sabah, after an alleged bullying incident has sparked public outrage nationwide and renewed calls for safer schools. Police in Bukit Aman have since taken over the case. The two other names mentioned by Fahmi refer to a tahfiz student Wan Ahmad Faris Wan Abdul Rahman who was found dead in the school toilet in Kok Lanas, Kelantan 12 years ago. Syamsul Haris Shamsudin was a Universiti Teknologi Malaysia student who died during basic army training as a cadet in the Reserve Officers Training Unit (Palapes) in Ulu Tiram, Johor, on July 28. 'We don't want bullying to become something that drags on. The laws are there, action is being taken with Bukit Aman now leading the investigation into Zara Qairina's case,' Fahmi was qoted as saying. Her inquest is scheduled to start in Kota Kinabalu tomorrow, her family lawyers Hamid Ismail and Shahlan Jufri confirmed today. Fahmi stressed that justice takes time, pointing to the case of Bella, a young girl with Down Syndrome, as an example. 'We know the process of justice does take time. In Bella's case, it took a while but in the end we saw justice being served. I believe we will also get justice here,' he said. Fahmi also cautioned against using tragedies for political gain. 'Let us not build castles over a grave. Let us not use this to popularise ourselves. What we want is justice,' he was quoted as saying.
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Court is scheduled to meet on Monday to set date for Zara's inquest, says lawyer
KOTA KINABALU: A court in Kota Kinabalu is scheduled to meet on Monday (Aug 18) to set a date for Zara Qairina Mahathir's inquest. Counsel Hamid Ismail, who represents Zara Qairina's mother, Noraidah Lamat, stated that the inquest was scheduled for 9am at the Kota Kinabalu Court. On Aug 13, the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) issued a statement stating that an inquest would be carried out to look into the death of Zara after an autopsy on her body was done. The AGC said the decision was made after reviewing the police investigation report on the case submitted on Aug 12. It said that the inquest would be conducted under Section 339(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code to determine the cause and circumstances of her death, including whether there were any criminal elements involved. ALSO READ: Justice will prevail in Zara Qairina case, says PM It added that the process would be handled independently and transparently by the Coroner's Court in accordance with the law. Prior to this order, Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Comm Datuk M Kumar said Zara's autopsy results showed she died from traumatic brain injuries as originally diagnosed by doctors. He said these injuries were consistent with those sustained from a fall. He also said there were shortcomings in how the investigations were conducted initially, and an internal investigation would be conducted on three senior cops involved in Zara's preliminary investigation. Zara died after she was believed to have fallen from the third floor of her school hostel at SMA Tun Datu Mustafa in Papar, on July 16.
Malaysian Reserve
3 hours ago
- Malaysian Reserve
Chinese national assaults KLIA immigration officer
A CHINESE national was arrested at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1 yesterday for behaving aggressively and injuring an immigration officer during departure checks. According to Bernama, the incident occurred at around 7.40pm where the woman alongside a man and two children were at the immigration counter. The officer discovered that they had no entry records and referred the case to a supervisor for further review. A statement issued by the Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) explained that the suspect became upset when she was told to allow other passengers to proceed while her documents were being examined. The Chinese national then allegedly shouted abusive words at the officer, yanked her headscarf and pushed her head against a pillar in front of the counter. 'A minor scuffle broke out, and the suspect refused to calm down despite being instructed to do so. AKPS enforcement officers then called in the Aviation Security Team (AVSEC) to control the situation,' it said. The incident left the officer with swelling in her left eye, a headache on the right side of her head and body aches. She was then sent to Cyberjaya Hospital for treatment and to obtain a medical report. A police report has been filed and the suspect is currently in police custody for investigation under Section 186 of the Penal Code for obstructing a public servant, Section 332 for causing injury to a public servant and Section 353 for using criminal force against a public servant. AKPS stressed that it will not tolerate any form of violence, abuse or threats against officers on duty and expects the suspect to face appropriate legal action. Meanwhile, the Immigration Services Union Peninsular Malaysia (KPISM) strongly condemned the physical and verbal attack on the female officer. President Ajeet Singh stated that such actions undermine the sovereignty of Malaysian law and reminded tourists that they must respect the laws of any country they visit. 'Immigration officers are the frontline defenders of the nation's sovereignty. Assaulting them while on duty is not only an uncivilised act, but also tarnishes the nation's image and jeopardises security at international entry points,' he said in the statement. —TMR
