NUTP calls for guideline on social media posts involving teachers and schools

KUALA LUMPUR: The National Union of Teaching Profession Malaysia (NUTP) has called on the government to provide a guideline on news or pictures posted on social media which could affect teachers and the image of the school.
NUTP Secretary-general Lok Yim Pheng said that there were pictures and statements made by various quarters on social media which tarnished the image of the teachers and schools.
“Teachers are ‘being attacked’ through these viral posts, and it can be very damaging to teachers, especially those who are committed and responsible towards their work,” she said.
Lok said that the union has received complaints from teachers about the matter, noting that some of these information had been either taken out of context or exaggerated on social media.
“If parents want to complain about what happened in school, they can either bring it up to the Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) or even to the Education Ministry itself ... There are the proper channels,” she told a press conference today.
NUTP president Hashim Adnan, who was also present at the press conference, said among these defamatory posts include videos of ‘bully cases’, complaints about the ‘incompetence’ of a school principal, and how some students were badly abused by the teachers.
“Some of these videos and posting are posted online without proper explanation, and it prompted a problem as people criticise and give negative comments about these postings,” he said.
Hashim said that a guideline from the ministry to regulate what goes on social media would help curb this problem.
On another matter, Hashim also called on the Education Ministry to allow all schools to be able to celebrate Teachers’ Day in a proper manner.
He claimed that there were directives from certain state education departments which only allowed schools to celebrate the day only up to 10.30am.
“Then, classes were to be resumed after 10.30am,” he added.
Hashim said this celebration, held annually on May 16, should be done in a proper manner, where there is food, performances and proper interaction between teachers and students.
“We want it to be a special occasion between teachers and students, where the students would be able to cultivate proper respect for these teachers," he said.