PETALING JAYA: The employment of former military and police personnel as wardens at boarding schools will ensure effective response against bullying, but must be done with caution, say experts.
Gerakan Gubal Akta Anti Buli (GAB) chairperson Wan Azliana Wan Adnan said that the recent move by Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) to appoint retired army and police personnel as hostel wardens at two Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM) should be expanded to cover all boarding schools.
“Currently, wardens are appointed from among teachers, who already carry full teaching responsibilities during the day.
“This dual role overburdens them and limits their ability to focus on student safety,” she said when contacted.
Wan Azliana: Notes that retired military and police personnel possess a strong background in discipline, leadership and situational awareness.
Wan Azliana, a lawyer and anti-bullying advocate, noted that a Federal Court case last year had shown the serious consequences when a warden fails in his duty of care.
“In that case, the warden did not perform his night rounds and failed to inspect the head prefect’s room, where the bullying took place.
“This highlights the urgent need for dedicated wardens whose sole responsibility is student welfare and safety, rather than overburdened teachers who already have full teaching duties during the day.”
She said that retired military and police personnel possess a strong background in discipline, leadership and situational awareness.
“Their background and experience would enhance student safety, deter bullying and ensure swift intervention when such incidents occur,” she said.
Last month, Mara chairman Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki announced a pilot project involving the appointment of not more than 10 retired army and police personnel as wardens in MRSM Besut in Terengganu and MRSM Balik Pulau in Penang.
Under the project, the wardens would begin service this month and would be monitored during a six-month trial period to evaluate the pros and cons of the initiative.
The pilot project was implemented following the video recording of a bullying incident involving a group of students from MRSM in Seberang Perai Selatan which occurred mid-last year but went viral in April this year.
Meanwhile, National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) secretary-general Fouzi Singon hopes that the government would prioritise appointing full-time wardens at boarding schools, noting that teachers currently serving in the role are burdened with dual responsibilities.
“This can be very exhausting, and it has become increasingly difficult to find teachers willing to take up warden duties voluntarily,” he said when contacted yesterday.
Farah Nini: Calls for candidates to undergo the Tajma psychology test to ensure their compatibility with working with children.
Human Rights Commission of Malaysia children’s commissioner Dr Farah Nini Dusuki said that candidates hired as wardens for residential schools must be carefully screened prior to their appointment.
“While we do not have a complete screening mechanism akin to Children Check in Australia, we do have an electronic register established under Section 118 of the Child Act 2001.
“This allows for the relevant authorities or even individuals to screen people for purposes of employment,” she said.
She said the register currently contains the list of convicted offenders of sexual abuse against children, and hopefully in the future, will also include other categories of offences against children as well.
She added that candidates should also be made to undergo the Tajma psychology test to ensure their compatibility with working with children.
The Tajma psychology test is named after its creator Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Tajudin Md Ninggal as an online psychological assessment tool developed locally for profiling personality traits and career interests.
