Kuala lumpur: 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.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Maszlee emphasized in a Facebook post that the charter should be implemented across both public and private educational institutions, ensuring equal protection for all students, regardless of their background. He also suggested that a clearer legal definition of bullying, encompassing both physical and cyberbullying, should be incorporated into the Education Act 1996. Additionally, he proposed the establishment of oversight committees at both school and national levels, including representatives from parents, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and enforcement agencies.
The proposed measures also include nationwide prevention and intervention programs, such as counselling, empathy education, and firm disciplinary action. Maszlee further advocated for the creation of a national bullying database to improve monitoring and response to reported cases. He referred to the recent death of student Zara Qairina in Papar, Sabah, describing it as a ‘wake-up call’ for the education system, emphasizing that student safety should be the highest responsibility of the Education Ministry.
Maszlee cited international examples of successful 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. He acknowledged that while no system is perfect, these countries offer clear and holistic frameworks that Malaysia could adapt to meet local needs.
He noted that the five proposals were initially part of the 2019 National Education Policy Review Committee recommendations for implementation in 2021 but were halted following the 2020 change in government. Maszlee urged the MOE to form an implementation task force within 90 days and to table the Student Rights Charter in Parliament before the end of the year.