Time to stop the bullies

PUTRAJAYA: Bullying is more than just beatings and verbal abuse these days, victims can also suffer shaming and vicious taunting on social media, the effects of which can be as traumatising as the physical abuse.

The problem is that cyberbullying is not covered by the Education (School Discipline) Regulations that was enacted in 1959, way before there was the Internet, Facebook and Instagram.

This lack of definition in the regulations has led to bullies not being held responsible for their acts because school administrators have their hands tied if the abuse happens in cyberspace.

Deputy Education Minister Chong Sin Woon (pic) believes a revision of the regulations would allow schools to better deal with the problem.

He said many incidents of cyberbullying and physical abuse – some captured on video – had gone viral in recent times, underscoring the urgency with which this issue must be addressed.

“Usually, the ministry will only act if a report has been made. Now, we have decided that such cases should be investigated immediately, without needing a report to be lodged.

“Sometimes, a video turns out to be that of an old case or an incident abroad, but our response must be swift,” he said, adding that proactive measures were also important.

He was speaking after chairing a meeting on tackling student indiscipline here yesterday.

Asked if the revision would take into account wider definitions of bullying, including cyberbullying and abuse via social media, he said: “It is one of the things that the ministry is looking into.”

Over the years, new circulars and procedures related to discipline problems, he said, have been released on top of the Education (School Discipline) Regulations 1959, making the issue “a bit disorganised”.

“There have been more than 50 circulars and procedures over the years.

“So, with this revision, we will compile them all into one comprehensive set of regulations that will be used by schools for tackling disciplinary problems,” said Chong, adding that the ministry was targeting next year to enforce these changes.

A comprehensive set of regulations, he added, would give headmasters and teachers “an organised way of handling disciplinary cases”.

“The revised regulations will make clear the do’s and don’ts regarding, for example, the authority to punish, caning and warning letters.

It will also give authority to a disciplinary committee to conduct probes into cases on a school’s behalf.

“We are also proposing counselling sessions to be made compulsory for students punished for indiscipline,” he said, adding that the review was in the final stage of drafting and the Attorney-General’s Chambers would be consulted.

He said due to interventions by schools on indiscipline, the rate had dropped significantly from 2012 to 2015.

“Cases of indiscipline among students were 1.78% in 2015, a drop from 2.01% in 2014 and 2013, and 2.3% in 2012.

“There were 4,159 cases of bullying in schools in 2012 and this was reduced to 3,011 in 2015,” said Chong.

The committee also discussed concerns over the influence of the Islamic State among students and agreed that police should conduct talks at schools about the militant group’s dangerous ideology, he added.