NST Leader: Tackling the bullying scourge in schools
AS if there are not enough things to worry parents of school-going children, the subject of school bullies is among the most vexing they have to confront.
School bullying remains a troubling issue for parents of children attending school. While some may believe bullying is a thing of the past, it persists, particularly in boarding schools. However, parents have been encouraged by two recent developments: the government's plan to extend closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras to 333 boarding schools, ensuring constant monitoring, and the hiring of former military personnel as full-time wardens in all 58 Mara Junior Science Colleges (MRSM) starting next year.
These measures follow a pilot project at MRSM Besut and MRSM Balik Pulau, which achieved nearly zero bullying cases after the deployment of former military personnel. While CCTV monitoring is beneficial, the physical presence of dedicated wardens offers a more comprehensive solution, as they can identify tensions before they escalate into violence.
Technology can assist but cannot fully replace human supervision. Bullying has evolved from physical to verbal, psychological, and even digital abuse, necessitating a more all-encompassing approach to vigilance and supervision. Accountability is crucial; parents must trust that complaints will be heard, investigated promptly, and appropriate action taken, while students require safe channels to report bullying.
While the new measures are welcome, they are not the sole solution. The government should regularly review performance indicators, such as the prevalence of bullying reports, repeat incidents, response times, and student and parent feedback. The ultimate goal should be for schools to become synonymous with learning and character-building, free from the scourge of bullying.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
