KUALA LUMPUR – Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek’s handling of critical issues in Malaysian schools is nearing a breaking point.
Despite her repeated chants of zero tolerance for sexual harassment or abuse of children by teachers with the recently launched “you touch, you go” policy, heads have yet to roll.
Egregious incidents continue to go unchecked with the minister seemingly only paying lip service amid dire concern over the wellbeing and safety of schoolchildren.
This begs the question, is it chronic inaction, or just downright apathy?
Being at the helm of one of the country’s most important portfolios, Fadhlina has the prerogative to deal with problematic educators, but her apparent hesitance for swift, decisive, and stern action is cause for concern.
The disturbing cases detailed in this report underscore the glaring shortcomings in prioritising and safeguarding the wellbeing of children.
MRSM Tumpat teacher accused of paedophilia
On March 28, X user @naylisabirawr_ alleged that a teacher at the Mara Junior Science College (MRSM) in Tumpat, Kelantan, had a history of inappropriate conduct with students.
The post included screenshots of conversations between the teacher and students, depicting unprofessional behaviour.
Many former students corroborated these claims, sharing their own experiences. Mara chairman Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki ordered an investigation, and the teacher was suspended.
However, the case was later classified as slander due to a lack of strong evidence, with police citing the teacher’s “good attitude”.
The confiscation of students’ phones during the investigation raised further concerns about transparency and accountability.
The teacher filed a police report against the X user, accusing her of slander and defamation via the viral social media post, which gained around 7 million views and 14,000 retweets as of press time.
While Asyraf, on June 6, reportedly said Mara is still waiting on a full report from the police before taking action, Fadhlina has yet to comment on the case.
Student left disabled after punishment
On April 30, a primary school teacher in Ampang punished an 11-year-old boy by making him stand under the hot sun for nearly three hours.
The boy suffered severe heat exhaustion, resulting in permanent disabilities.
After being diagnosed with significant nerve and intellectual damage, he was advised to transfer to a special school.
On May 26, it was reported that Ampang Jaya police had referred their investigation papers on the incident to the deputy public prosecutor’s office after the student’s mother filed a report.
However, the family’s lawyer, Dinesh Muthal, alleged the investigating officer in charge of the case had mishandled the case – pointing to how the sergeant had brought the witnesses and suspect to the school headmaster’s room for inquiries.
The family plans to sue the teacher and the school’s headmaster, alleging violations of the Education Ministry’s guidelines, which explicitly state that such punishments are considered torture.
The boy’s father reported that his son now experiences frequent headaches, talks to himself, and avoids social interactions, indicating post-incident trauma.
While it is believed that the teacher was not suspended from his duties throughout the course of the investigation, Fadhlina, on May 30, said that her ministry will not compromise the safety of students in schools.
She also said “appropriate action” will be taken based on the investigation report from authorities.
Teacher-student relationship
In March, a high school student’s sister exposed a “relationship between her 17-year-old brother and his 37-year-old teacher, sparking debate over whether it was a case of child grooming or a consensual relationship.
The sister shared messages between the two declaring their “love,” leading to divided opinions online.
The student’s mother had reported noticing red marks on her son’s neck, believed to be from kisses by the teacher.
Suhakam commissioner Datuk Noor Aziah Mohd Awal has called for charges against the teacher to ensure student safety, criticising the practice of merely transferring teachers accused of misconduct to other schools.
Noor Aziah, who was Suhakam’s children’s commissioner from 2019 to 2022, told Scoop the only way to ensure students’ safety is to press charges against the teacher.
Without detailing the measures it implemented, the Education Ministry said it had taken “action” in accordance with existing guidelines while police investigated the alleged sexual exploitation.
Students with disabilities bullied by teachers
In January, a teacher in Kota Kinabalu made offensive remarks about a disabled student in a parent-teacher WhatsApp group, calling him “anak bongok.”
The student’s father, who was part of the group, reported the incident to the Education Ministry.
The teacher subsequently filed a police report against the father.
According to the father, his son was diagnosed with autism at the age of 3 and attention-deficit hyperactivity at 6.
The boy was also born prematurely, causing him to have to undergo various medical procedures.
It was reported that the family had no choice but to continue letting the boy study at the school, as it is challenging to find an institute with a special education curriculum in Sabah.
Sabah Education director Raisin Saidin said the department would investigate and has issued warnings to remind teachers not to make disparaging online comments about students.
The case echoes a similar incident from last year where a disabled student was allegedly bullied by a teacher, but there have been no updates on that investigation.
While it is believed Fadhlina has never addressed the case specifically, she assured that students with disabilities and special education teachers will be given appropriate attention by the ministry.
The minister also reiterated the assurance after receiving a visit from former senator Datuk Ras Adiba Radzi, who is also OKU Sentral Association president, about a week after the incident.
The assurance also came after a similar incident in August last year where a disabled student under the special education integrated programme was allegedly left traumatised after being bullied by another female teacher.
Regarding last year’s case, Fadhlina said the issue was being investigated by her ministry. There have been no subsequent updates on both cases.
Students used as social media content
Last September, the National Parent-Teacher Association disclosed that they received at least one complaint daily from parents concerned over their children being used as content on teachers’ personal social media accounts for personal gain.
In response, Fadhlina affirmed that teachers who use their students for online content may face repercussions from the Education Ministry as the act violates guidelines on students’ involvement on social media.
However, the issues seem to persist with the Communications and Multimedia Content Forum urging on March 19 this year for teachers to refrain from using their students as social media content “mules”.
On March 24, Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching urged parents to report the unauthorised use of their children’s images to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission. – June 11, 2024