While welcoming the views and proposals of all stakeholders in education, the ministry of education stated that it plans to look seriously into improving safety aspects in tackling bullying in all educational institutions under its jurisdiction.

The ministry is willing to provide psychosocial support and training to teachers and wardens, parent education modules, monitoring educational institutions and anti-bullying plans, in a bid to address the issue.

Currently, the education ministry is implementing several strategies to strengthen safety aspects at all educational institutions by carrying out safety audits, installing CCTV cameras and setting up safety reformation committees.

The ministry recently approved a RM3 million allocation for the installation of CCTVs in selected boarding schools, with immediate effect, before expanding it stage-by-stage to all boarding schools nationwide.

Others such as student activist groups called for the setting up of a stronger psychosocial support system in schools by having more counsellors, mandatory trauma-informed training for teachers and wardens with anti-bullying protocols.

The student activist groups handed over a memorandum to the ministry which includes compulsory parental education modules to address toxic home environments and the formulation of a National Anti-Bullying Plan.

-THE MALAYSIA VOICE