Parent, Community Cooperation Key To Curb School Bullying - MOE
LABUAN, Jan 16 (Bernama) -- The issue of bullying among students can be effectively addressed through close cooperation between parents, schools and the wider community, said Ministry of Education (MOE) secretary-general Datuk Dr Aminuddin Hassim.
Aminuddin said existing guidelines and mechanisms, provided by the ministry, could be fully utilised by schools as a structured approach to tackle bullying, but he stressed that efforts would only be effective with strong support from families and the community.
“We need parents and the community to play a role in tackling this issue … community involvement is also very important as the responsibility does not lie with schools alone,” he told reporters after presenting the Early Schooling Aid or Bantuan Awal Persekolahan (BAP) here today.
Aminuddin said the values of friendship and mutual care among students, often described as ‘friends looking out for friends’, must be strengthened in schools as part of preventive measures.
He said students who witness elements of bullying should not remain silent, but instead take steps to stop the behaviour or report it to school authorities so that early intervention can be carried out.
“The culture of caring and courage to speak up must be nurtured...reporting is not about punishment, but about protecting everyone’s safety and well-being,” he said.
Aminuddin said that cooperation with the police should also be enhanced, noting that the presence of law enforcement officers in and around school compounds plays an important role in ensuring a safe environment for students.
“The presence of the police helps create a sense of security, not only within the school grounds but also in surrounding areas where students gather before and after school,” he also said.
He added that the ministry continues to strengthen counselling services, student support systems and awareness programmes in schools, including through collaboration with parent-teacher associations (PTAs), local leaders and community organisations.
--BERNAMA
