PUTRAJAYA: Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the Education Ministry’s Child Protection Policy will come into force nationwide when schools reopen next week.
She said the policy will involve all parties responsible for student safety, including schools, parents, communities and enforcement agencies.
"We have finalised the Child Protection Policy, which will be implemented in all schools and involves all parties responsible for student safety," she said in her New Year address on Friday (Jan 9).
Fadhlina also said that a nationwide student and hostel safety audit by the Inspectorate of Schools last year, covering 850 schools, found that only 28.94% of schools had fully functioning CCTV systems.
"If only 28% of CCTV systems are operational, how do we respond to the public and reassure parents that our schools are safe?
"Beyond the numbers and statistics, the audit’s findings provide us with a roadmap for action in 2026," she said, adding that 333 new CCTV units would be installed at selected schools this year.
"The focus is not only on installation, but on continuous maintenance so that the CCTV systems function effectively.
"State Education Departments, District Education Offices and schools have been instructed to ensure all CCTV systems are in good working condition," she said, adding that the ministry was open to cooperation with the private sector and community groups to support maintenance efforts.
