School Rape Case: NUTP Urges Review Of Character Education, Discipline

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 13 (Bernama) -- The National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) has urged all parties, including schools, parents and the community, to reassess the effectiveness of character education, guidance and counselling systems, as well as discipline in schools.

Referring to the recent rape case allegedly involving students at a secondary school in Melaka, NUTP secretary-general Fouzi Singon said the incident was deeply saddening and alarming, as it reflected a failure among the students involved to uphold the values of humanity, decency and morality.

“Parenting and family education are also important for all future parents because the root cause of students’ poor character often lies in failed parental guidance.

“NUTP believes that character education should not rest solely on schools. Moral and ethical values must be instilled early at home, while schools play a role in reinforcing and guiding them.

“However, we agree that it is time to reassess the effectiveness of character and disciplinary education in schools to make it more relevant to current social challenges,” he said when contacted by Bernama today.

He said the role of guidance and counselling teachers should also be strengthened so that students could participate in counselling sessions and youth-related programmes.

He added that support systems such as early intervention and cooperation with welfare and psychological agencies should also be implemented comprehensively.

“NUTP emphasises that early prevention through value-based education, empathy and character building must be a key agenda in our education system. This is not merely a disciplinary issue but a reflection of the moral fabric and social well-being of the nation’s younger generation,” he said.

Last Saturday, police confirmed that four 17-year-old male students, who are due to sit for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination next month, were remanded for six days on suspicion of raping a 15-year-old female student at a school in Alor Gajah last week.

Melaka police chief Datuk Dzulkhairi Mukhtar said the case is being investigated under Section 375B of the Penal Code, and the incident allegedly occurred at 2.50 pm on Oct 2 inside a classroom, when the victim had returned to retrieve her science project materials.

-- BERNAMA