KUALA LUMPUR: The Education Ministry should halt teacher transfers if it jeopardises student safety, says Senator Datuk Wong You Fong.
In a statement Thursday (May 28), the Wanita MCA chief said any educator under investigation for endangering student safety should not be in a classroom.
"While investigations run their course, these individuals should be removed from school grounds and desk-bound at District Education Offices or State Education Departments.
"Moving them to a different school does not solve the problem but exposes them to new students," she said.
Wong urged the Education Ministry to overhaul its standard operating procedures (SOP) for handling teachers implicated in assault and student endangerment cases.
"The gravity of this situation warrants external scrutiny and the interest of the public.
"We urge agencies like the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to take the initiative and investigate whether there has been an abuse of power in such cases where alleged offenders are transferred.
"The dangerous practice of transferring problematic teachers to other schools must stop immediately," she stressed.
Wong said she was disturbed by the recent disclosures by former teacher Mohd Fadli Mohamed Salleh who alleged that a teacher facing sexual assault allegations was moved to a new school.
"If true, this is a failure of our child protection framework.
"The safety of our children must always outweigh the desire to protect institutional reputation or shield colleagues.
"Schools must be a sacred, safe spaces for learning and not hunting grounds for predators.
"We (Wanita MCA) call on the Education Ministry to act transparently and fix procedures to protect the children," she said.
It was reported that Mohd Fadli has alleged a primary school teacher in Johor was transferred to another school after being accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a pupil.
He claimed that the revelation was made after he personally read the police report regarding the case, which is said to have occurred in Johor.
