PETALING JAYA: Every child has the right not only to an education but also to a safe school environment.
Experts in child safety said the death of 16-year-old Irene Sofiya Mohd Khairool Faisal should prompt a nationwide review of school safeguarding measures.
Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) chief children’s commissioner Dr Farah Nini Dusuki said schools needed a more proactive, child-centred safeguarding culture.
“To enhance child protection frameworks across all schools, I recommend that the Education Ministry maintain clear oversight of student presence during extra classes, co-curricular sessions, sports training and late-afternoon activities,” said Farah Nini.
“This should include conducting comprehensive risk assessments specifically tailored to activities taking place outside regular school hours, taking into account lower staffing levels, movement across school grounds, and isolated or under-supervised areas.
“There should also be nationwide school safeguarding audits that go beyond conventional security checks,” she added.
Another Suhakam children’s commissioner, Assoc Prof Dr Mohd Al-Adib Samuri, said schools needed systems to account for students throughout the school day and during activities.
“When parents send their children to school, they are placing them in the school’s care.
“That responsibility does not end when the bell rings, especially when children are still on school grounds for classes or activities.
“A safe school is not simply a school without violence.
“It is a school with systems that know where children are, listen when they speak up, identify risks early and act quickly when something is wrong.
“We need to look beyond CCTV, fences and security guards. Every school should be able to answer a simple question at any point: Do we know where every child under our care is?” said Mohd Al-Adib.
National Parents and Teachers Association (PIBGN) president Assoc Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Ali Hassan said ensuring students’ safety should be a shared responsibility.
“We must stop reacting only after tragedy occurs.
“Prevention must come first.
“We cannot continue to treat bullying, gangsterism, indiscipline and threats to student and teacher safety as issues that schools must face alone.
“PIBG, alumni, school authorities, the Education Department and the Education Ministry must stand together and act decisively.”
Sharmila Sekaran of NGO Voices of Children said authorities must move beyond a defensive response when serious crimes occur on school grounds.
“We have to address how a child could have been isolated and abused. It is important that a step-by-step review be undertaken by the school and the Education Ministry for lessons to be learnt and shared with schools nationwide,” she said.
Parent Action Group for Education chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said Irene’s death, along with those of other children who have died on school grounds due to criminal activity, raised questions about existing safeguards.
“When a student dies violently on school grounds, parents need more than condolences and assurances – they need to know what happened, where the safeguards failed, who was responsible for her safety at that time, and what will be done to prevent another tragedy.
“School safety must mean accountability, not simply policies on paper,” she said.
