PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim issued a firm reminder to schools and parents to fully cooperate in addressing bullying in educational institutions.
He warned them against protecting perpetrators for the sake of preserving a school’s image.
Anwar stated that some school administrators and parent-teacher associations tend to downplay or conceal bullying cases.
He noted they often see these incidents as minor or non-serious matters.
Such attitudes only risk worsening the issue in the long term according to the Prime Minister.
“A reminder to schools: do not protect bullies, even in minor cases,“ he told reporters after performing Friday prayers at Surau Jannatul Firdaus PPAM Seruling in Precinct 5.
“Bullying is still a crime,“ Anwar emphasized.
“Not everything should be considered a light offence,“ he added.
The Prime Minister addressed teachers who might still uphold outdated educational approaches.
He stressed the need for reform within the education system.
“While it is clearly unacceptable to hit or injure students, especially on their heads, teachers should still be allowed to correct, advise, or take reasonable disciplinary action,“ Anwar said.
He also commented on the stance of certain human rights or liberal groups that strongly oppose any disciplinary measures by teachers.
Anwar acknowledged the need for restraint in disciplinary approaches.
He said flexibility should be allowed in managing discipline under strict conditions. – Bernama
