The education ministry will conduct engagement sessions with all stakeholders to explain the current guidelines for handling bullying offences in schools, says its minister Fadhlina Sidek.
This move is in response to one of the four demands in the #JusticeForZara memorandum submitted to her by a group of student activists here today, Bernama reported.
“The ministry is also open to views and suggestions to improve existing guidelines,” Fadhlina said in a Facebook post.
She met representatives of the student activists at the Parliament building today to discuss all concerns raised in the memorandum. About 50 activists had earlier marched from Tugu Negara to the Parliament gate.
On their demand for a comprehensive reform of the national education system, particularly in relation to the bullying issue, Fadhlina said the ministry had announced several important measures to enhance safety at all educational institutions under its purview.
“They include conducting safety audits, improving the bullying complaint system, setting up a safety reform committee, taking stern action such as suspending and expelling students involved in bullying, and ensuring psychosocial support aspects are strengthened at every level,” she said.
Fadhlina said training aspects would continue to be enhanced to ensure school administrators, teachers and wardens are ready to meet the challenges posed by bullies.
The activists had demanded that those in charge should be given mandatory training on crisis intervention and management.
Fadhlina said all educational institutions must comply with the ministry’s guidelines on tackling bullying offences.
On the death of student Zara Qairina Mahathir in Sabah, Fadhlina said the ministry was giving its full cooperation to the police in their investigation.
“The ministry welcomes the police initiative to set up a special task force to handle investigations,” she said.
Zara, 13, was pronounced dead at Queen Elizabeth I Hospital in Kota Kinabalu on July 17, a day after she was found unconscious in a drain near the dormitory of a religious school in Papar at about 4am.
