Action will be taken if teachers are involved in period spot checks, says Education Minister

KUALA LUMPUR: Investigations are still ongoing to determine if teachers were involved in the alleged period spot check of female students recently, says Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin.

"We are still investigating to determine if teachers were involved.

"If there is evidence of such, appropriate action will be taken against them," the Education Minister said when wrapping up his ministerial replies on Budget 2022 in Dewan Rakyat on Monday (Nov 15).

Teo Nie Ching (PH-Kulai) wanted to know if the orders to carry out the period checks were given by teachers in the school.

She was referring to the incident involving a school in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur recently where female students were allegedly physically examined for their monthly periods.

On the incident, Radzi said that he and several senior ministry officials personally went to the school to question the students.

"Following questioning of the students, we were told that it was carried out by senior students on other students as means to ensure that discipline is adhered to by students of the school.

"This is actually what had happened," he said, adding that the findings were not made public to lessen the pressure on the students involved.

He also said the students were questioned by him and his officers in a hall where the school wardens and teachers were barred from being present.

"From what was told to us, the practice was a tradition carried out by student leaders for generations," he said.

He said that the students were advised to stop such practices.

Radzi acknowledged there had been previous mention of similar incidents at different schools several months ago.

"When we asked the media for information of the alleged incidents, they were said to have happened between one, two and three years ago.

"As such, it was decided by the ministry that it would be difficult to investigate the alleged past incidents.

"That is why I immediately flew down from Sarawak to investigate the latest incident for myself when I got to know of it," he said.

On Oct 26, Radzi headed straight to the school in Setapak after arriving at the KL International Airport from Kuching to get information from the students involved and also the school’s principal and teachers.

Following the latest incident, the Education Ministry issued a reminder on Nov 2 to state Education Departments and district education offices to stop period spot checks on female students.