BUKIT MERTAJAM: Two guidelines for managing issues of misconduct, especially those related to bullying and sexual harassment, have been launched by the Education Ministry (MOE) to create a safe ecosystem within educational institutions.
Minister Fadhlina Sidek said both guidelines are crucial for sustaining advocacy efforts to ensure that awareness, responsibility and concern for these issues can be collectively addressed.
She said the committee responsible for formulating both guidelines also took into account recent changes, such as redefining cyberbullying and proposing intervention programmes for managing bullying and sexual harassment.
“We hope all members of MOE will give their commitment to implementing these guidelines to ensure that these issues can be resolved immediately.
“The focus of these guidelines is to protect human dignity and prevent violation against it from happening within our school ecosystem,” she told a press conference after officiating at the Sahsiah Terbilang Hentikan Buli: Membentuk Anak Yang Baik Lagi Cerdik (Distinguished Personality Stops Bullying: Forming Better and Smarter Children) programme here on Friday.
Fadhlina said the programme is an example of MOE’s intervention in curbing the symptoms of bullying among students by providing guidance and awareness about the harmful impact of bullying on mental and physical health, as well as educating students not to engage in such behaviour.
She also said bullying, sexual harassment and racial discrimination are the three “major sins” in the crosshairs of the ministry, where it will not compromise with offenders.
“In my opinion, the bullying situation in schools in this country is still under control and we already have an efficient working process to deal with this issue,” Fadhlina said.
“However, if there are parties who are still not satisfied with this process, they can take legal action against any action we have taken.”
She added that the ministry will issue a circular later to provide more details on the implementation of the guidelines. — Bernama