KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 13 (Bernama) -- Former Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik has urged the Education Ministry (MOE) to adopt a five-point plan to combat bullying in schools, including the immediate introduction of a National Student Rights Charter to protect the dignity, safety and rights of all students.
In a Facebook post today, Maszlee said the charter should apply across public and private educational institutions and guarantee equal protection for all students, regardless of background.
He also called for a clearer legal definition of bullying, covering both physical and cyberbullying, to be included in the Education Act 1996, along with the establishment of oversight committees at both school and national levels comprising representatives from parents, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and enforcement agencies.
Other measures proposed include nationwide prevention and intervention programmes, such as counselling, empathy education and firm disciplinary action, as well as the creation of a national bullying database to better monitor and respond to reported cases.
Referring to the recent death of student Zara Qairina in Papar, Sabah, Maszlee described it as a ‘wake-up call’ for the education system.
“Student safety is not a secondary issue, it is the highest responsibility of the Education Ministry,” he noted.
He also cited international examples of anti-bullying efforts, including South Korea’s Student Rights Ordinance (2012), Finland’s KiVa Programme, Canada’s Safe Schools Act and Japan’s mandatory reporting system.
“While no system is perfect, these countries have clear and holistic frameworks that Malaysia can adapt to suit local needs,” he said.
Maszlee noted that the five proposals were originally part of the 2019 National Education Policy Review Committee recommendations for implementation in 2021, but the initiative was halted following the 2020 change in government.
He urged MOE to form an implementation task force within 90 days and table the Student Rights Charter in Parliament before the end of the year.
-- BERNAMA
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