Malaysia recorded 2,889 bullying cases in 2025, highlighting the urgent need for professional social workers in schools to address root causes.
BULLYING cases have been rampant in the country and this is deeply concerning. The Education Ministry has disclosed that in 2025 alone, 2,889 bullying cases were recorded nationwide – 740 in primary schools and 2,149 in secondary schools.
During the same period, 3,570 criminal misconduct cases were reported, including 457 in primary schools and a worrying 3,113 in secondary schools.
Schools have responded with disciplinary actions such as verbal and written warnings, caning and expulsion, depending on the severity of the offence.
While discipline is necessary to maintain order, the rising numbers suggest that punishment alone is not solving the problem.
Behind every bullying incident or criminal act is often a deeper story. Many students who engage in aggressive or disruptive behaviour are struggling with emotional distress, family conflict, poverty, neglect, trauma or negative peer influence.
Some are victims themselves before becoming perpetrators. Without addressing these root causes, we risk creating a cycle where punishment suppresses behaviour temporarily but fails to prevent recurrence.
This is where professional school social workers can make a difference. Countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Singapore have long recognised the value of integrating social workers into their school systems.
In these countries, school social workers conduct psychosocial assessments, provide counselling, manage crisis intervention and work closely with families and community agencies. Their presence allows early identification of at-risk students before behavioural issues escalate into serious misconduct.
Malaysia already has trained social workers under the Women, Family and Community Development Malaysia Ministry. However, systematic placement of professional social workers within schools remains limited. Embedding them, particularly in high-risk secondary schools, can strengthen early intervention, structured case management and emotional support systems.
Importantly, social workers can introduce restorative practices mediation between students, behavioural contracts, anger management programmes and parental engagement strategies. These approaches do not replace discipline but they can complement it by focusing on rehabilitation and prevention.
Teachers today are already burdened with academic responsibilities, administrative duties and co-curricular demands.
Expecting them to manage complex psychosocial cases without specialised training is unrealistic.
A multidisciplinary model, where educators focus on teaching and social workers address social and emotional barriers, would create a more balanced and effective support system.
The statistics released are not merely numbers; they represent children in distress and schools under strain. If we continue to rely solely on punitive measures, we may control the symptoms but not cure the underlying issues.
Introducing professional social workers into Malaysian schools is not an added luxury; it is a strategic investment in safer learning environments and healthier future citizens.
The real question is no longer whether we can afford to implement school social work but whether we can afford to delay it any longer.
Thanaselan Punichelvana
Kuala Lumpur
