KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 — The Education Ministry will appoint around 600 assistant wardens in dormitories under the ministry’s purview, said deputy minister of education Wong Kah Woh.
Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat, Wong said these assistant wardens will be appointed to alleviate the burden on the wardens and to increase security around the school premises.
“We acknowledge the roles of the school wardens and discipline teachers not only in looking after the students in dormitories but also being the front lines in identifying victims of bullying.
“Since 2019, the Education Service Commission (KPN) has expanded appointments of wardens of dormitories for all non-Grade 1 teachers and above in schools under the ministry. With this, the schools can appoint wardens from non-teachers.
“At the same time, around 600 assistant dormitory wardens will be appointed under the MySTEP programme to increase the monitoring in these schools and reduce the burden of the wardens,” he said.
Apart from that, Wong said teachers who are also wardens of the schools will be given special exemption from certain activities.
These include being allowed to miss the first session of classes in the morning, participating in fewer co-curricular activities, and being exempted from appointment as class teacher.
Previously there were proposals to appoint retired police and army officers as full-time wardens which is currently being done under a pilot project at Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM).
This issue of wardens was raised after measures to address the growing concern over bullying cases, including prevention mechanisms, monitoring, early intervention and firm action against offenders and negligent administrators was called for following a slew of violent crimes in schools.
