JOHOR BARU: The Education Ministry has announced plans to eradicate bullying and sexual misconduct in schools by strengthening prevention, raising awareness, and managing these issues more effectively.
Education Ministry director-general Azman Adnan said that while the number of reported cases is relatively low, the ministry remains fully committed to tackling the problem. Measures have already been introduced to deal with such misconduct.
“According to the Student Discipline System, there were 3,883 reported cases of bullying in 2022.
“This figure rose to 6,528 in 2023; by October 2024, 6,208 cases had been recorded.
“Additionally, data from the Royal Malaysia Police showed a 26.5% rise in cases of sexual misconduct involving children, increasing from 1,239 in 2022 to 1,567 in 2023.
“With a total of 5.2 million students across the country, these numbers might seem small, but we are dedicated to eradicating bullying and sexual misconduct completely,” Azman said during a press conference at the Gerakan Kepimpinan Madani: Hentikan Buli programme at SMK Mutiara Rini yesterday.
Azman shared that the ministry has launched the Nadi Keunggulan framework, which focuses on seven core pillars to address the matter.
“The second pillar, in particular, aims to develop morality, ethics and integrity (karamah insaniah) to prevent behaviours like bullying and sexual harassment among students.
“The ministry has also implemented proactive measures, including two key circulars introduced in 2023 to address bullying and sexual misconduct in schools.”
He added that the ministry has also introduced the Duta Sahsiah programme, launched in 2023, to train student ambassadors to assist schools in managing disciplinary issues.
On the right track: Azman (third from left) interacting with Form Six students during the programme at SMK Mutiara Rini in Johor Baru.
“Currently, there are over 10,235 schools nationwide, each with at least one designated Duta Sahsiah,” he said.
Azman also stressed the importance of fostering a positive school environment to encourage regular attendance and engagement, reducing the likelihood of student misconduct.
“Our efforts are focused on addressing bullying both within and outside school grounds.
“The ministry has also launched a Bullying Complaints Portal to enhance the monitoring of cases.
“This portal provides four main reporting channels: the Public Complaints Management System, email, telephone hotlines, and WhatsApp.
“Additionally, schools have reinstated Discipline Complaint Boxes, enabling students to submit written complaints about bullying or other disciplinary concerns,” he added.
Azman also said all incidents of bullying and sexual misconduct must be reported to school principals or head teachers.
“The Education Ministry is determined to create a safer learning environment for all students by addressing these challenges head-on,” he added.
