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Free Malaysia Today
4 days ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Revising SOPs on bullies futile without follow-through, govt told
A parents group has stressed the need for mandatory timeframes for action to be taken when a bullying report is lodged. (File pic) PETALING JAYA : The education ministry must ensure that school authorities will follow through on reports of bullying, says a parents group as the ministry reviews its SOPs for dealing with school bullies. The Parent Action Group for Education (PAGE) said the revamped SOPs must go beyond the basic mechanism of 'report, investigate, punish' to include early intervention, protection and follow-through. PAGE chairman Noor Azimah Rahim said the new SOPs must clearly define what bullying entails, so that no incident can be dismissed as 'just a joke'. She told FMT that there must also be immediate safety measures outlined for the victim, as well as mandatory timeframes for action which include set points for parental involvement. Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim. Noor Azimah said psychological support should also be provided for both the victims and bullies, while cases must be properly documented and escalated to the relevant authorities. 'If a complaint is filed, the school leadership – whether the principal or disciplinary teacher – should be required to log it into the education ministry's system within 24 hours. 'If no action or follow-up is documented within seven days, it should be automatically escalated to the district education office or state education department,' she said. Noor Azimah added that disciplinary action must be taken against educators who ignore or downplay complaints, starting with formal warnings, then suspension and even termination, in severe cases. 'If a student suffers serious harm or dies and the evidence shows that prior complaints were ignored by educators, criminal negligence charges should be considered.' Education director-general Azam Ahmad had said the ministry's SOPs on school safety and the handling of disciplinary issues, including bullying, would be reviewed following the death of Form 1 student Zara Qairina Mahathir in July. The ministry is also revamping its Aduan Buli portal for school bullying complaints, with the system to be simplified and complainants given the option of remaining anonymous. Azam also said that teachers as well as education officers at the district or state levels who do not act on bullying complaints will face action, but did not elaborate. Lee Lam Thye. Alliance For A Safe Community chairman Lee Lam Thye welcomed the review of the ministry's SOPs, saying it was clear that they were no longer effective at this present time. The former DAP MP said educators should undergo mandatory training on how to identify, handle and prevent cases of bullying, even starting at the pre-school level. Lee also said schools with sufficient resources should install CCTVs all around as a deterrent and also to assist in probes into bullying. 'If all this fails, then there's a need for the government to introduce a specific law to deal with bullying in schools. But legislation should be the last resort. What needs to be done is to ensure the ministry adopts measures that are practical, realistic and workable.' Noor Azimah agreed with Lee's suggestion of installing CCTVs in public and common areas in schools, suggesting that high-risk locations be prioritised given financial constraints. She also said the Aduan Buli portal must have two-way confidential communication so that the authorities can probe complaints without revealing the victim's identity, while reports should be reviewed by a unit within the ministry rather than the school involved. 'Students should get a case ID so they can monitor progress to see if action is being taken. And there should be multiple access points — web, mobile app, SMS or WhatsApp — so students without internet at home can still report.' Separately, the Children's Protection Society Kuala Lumpur said the government must first acknowledge that bullying often starts or is allowed to take root at home, highlighting the role parents and guardians play in shaping a child's character. 'We must teach our children empathy, humility, and respect for others from the earliest stages of life. We must ensure that they do not grow up with a sense of superiority, unchecked entitlement, or emotional detachment,' said its chairman Tengku Asra Jehan Tengku Azlan. Tengku Asra Jehan Tengku Azlan. Tengku Asra said school SOPs must have defined consequences for bullies. She also suggested that schools allow students to do 'confidential mental health check-ins' with trained counsellors handling this. 'Every report of bullying must be formally documented and investigated. No child's cry for help should be dismissed or downplayed. Schools should involve child protection agencies in serious cases to ensure neutrality and follow-through,' she added.
Free Malaysia Today
09-08-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Give early school leavers structured pathways, say experts
Students who end formal education at age 16 must have access to options such as A levels, vocational training and apprenticeships, says Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim. (Envato Elements pic) PETALING JAYA : Two education experts are calling for structured pathways to support students leaving school at age 16, warning that the lack of options risks undermining both individual prospects and national competitiveness. Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim. Parent Action Group for Education Malaysia chairman Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said school leavers must be offered viable options — including A- levels, vocational training and apprenticeships — to facilitate their continued development and opportunity. 'Without these, they risk being left without qualifications necessary for employment or higher education,' she told FMT. Academician P Gopala Krishnan said without the availability of pathways, early school leavers risk entering the workforce ill-equipped for a modern economy increasingly driven by automation. P Gopala Krishnan. 'Without strong vocational or technical alternatives early school exits may lead to low-wage and unstable employment,' he said. Last week, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that under the 13th Malaysia Plan, preschool education would be made mandatory from the age of five. The education ministry later said it was reviewing the technical and operational requirements for its implementation. Asked if revisions were being planned to the Year One enrolment and SPM examination ages, education minister Fadhlina Sidek said details would be announced at a later stage. Azimah and Gopala said the proposed schooling age of between six and 16 years mirrors systems in countries like the UK and Australia. However, they said any changes must be paired with reforms to ensure school leavers are job-ready. Azimah said starting school at age six was common globally and developmentally appropriate, allowing children to build social and emotional maturity before entering formal learning. She said an efficient curriculum must allow students to acquire core academic skills by age 16, allowing them to pursue further education or begin skills training without delay. 'Efficient schooling systems that avoid unnecessary years in formal education could reduce national education expenditure per student,' she said. Gopala pointed to Germany's dual vocational training model and Singapore's Institute of Technical Education as examples of structured post-secondary pathways. He said Finland — which, like Malaysia presently, admits children at age seven — is able to overcome any benefits offered by early enrolment through high-quality teaching. Gopala said the '6-16' framework could work if supported by flexible, skills-based learning opportunities. 'The goal should not be to rush education but to optimise it, ensuring every student has the tools to thrive in a rapidly evolving global landscape,' he said.
