Fadhlina Assures Parents That Boarding Schools Still Safe

BUKIT MERTAJAM, Aug 7 (Bernama) -- Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek has given assurance that all fully residential schools across the country are safe.

She noted that the Ministry of Education (MOE) continually enhances safety measures and remains committed to ensuring a secure and conducive educational ecosystem that positively impacts student development.

“I want to assure parents that these schools remain safe and we are continuously strengthening safety measures and making improvements in all aspects.

“So, don’t worry as we are constantly improving measures to strengthen the ecosystem of our residential schools further,” she told reporters after the handover ceremony of mock cheques to 12 schools for autistic children at Sekolah Sinar Harapan here today.

Fadhlina was responding to the statement made by Kinabatangan MP Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin during a Dewan Rakyat sitting on Tuesday, in which he claimed that parents in Sabah are reluctant to send their children to boarding schools due to bullying.

Fadhlina said the 72 fully residential schools nationwide remain a top choice for parents, stressing that tackling bullying requires collective effort, not the responsibility of one party alone.

“At the ministry level, we have taken various measures to tackle bullying, including strengthening school SOPs and ensuring teacher presence during school hours to enhance monitoring,” she said.

Fadhlina added that MOE will take firm action against students guilty of bullying, including suspension, during which they will undergo an intervention programme, “Bangkit Bermaruah”, a community service initiative under district education offices.

She also said that the ministry is reinforcing the role of school counsellors through training and exposure to help identify warning signs or students at risk of committing disciplinary offences, enabling early intervention and a more comprehensive approach to tackle bullying.

-- BERNAMA