WANITA MCA has called for the Education Ministry to seriously address the growing issue of school bullying, saying its minister Fadhlina Sidek should demonstrate strong determination by proactively tackling bullying cases and strengthening legislation against bullying which is crucial to deter perpetrators.
Its national chairperson Wong You Fong said there had been a concerning rise in bullying incidents in the recent years, particularly in boarding schools where prolonged student interaction provides fertile ground for bullying.
“School bullying manifests in various forms, including physical, verbal, and cyber abuse, causing significant harm and sometimes tragically leading to suicide among victims who suffer in silence,” she noted in a statement.
Citing statistics, Wong pointed out that in 2021, there were 326 reported school bullying cases which were likely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
This number had surged to 3,887 in 2022 and further to 4,994 in 2023, underscoring the severity of the problem.
Wong’s comment came in light of a bullying incident involving girls at a secondary school in Kerian, where a girl, aged 13, was brought into a toilet in the school where she was slapped by two girls, both 15.
In a statement, Comm Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri said the incident was believed to have stemmed from jealousy because the victim is said to be close to one of the alleged bullies’ boyfriend, also 15, at the same school.
A one-minute, 21-second video of the incident had since gone viral on social media.
According to Wong, the Education Ministry should increase the number of school counsellors, enhance awareness among students and provide counselling for both bullies and victims promptly.
“Any witnesses of bullying should actively report such cases. Likewise, schools should also provide a safe avenue for witnesses or even whistle blowers and bullies to report such vile acts in full confidentiality,” she stressed.
Wong further asserted that every student deserve a safe learning environment, and schools must promote empathy and encourage students to report bullying cases promptly.
“Failure to ensure safety in schools not only jeopardises academic performance as how Malaysia already lags behind in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) but also hinders national development and talent growth.”
It was previously reported that Malaysia had taken a tumble in the recent PISA 2022 score compared to that in 2018, showing a decline in all three literacy measures assessed – reading literacy, mathematics literacy and scientific literacy.
For the reading domain, which is the biggest in PISA, Malaysia scored 388, a drop of 27 from 415 points in 2018, with less than 50% of our students reaching the minimum level (Level 2) for the domain.
In mathematics, the country’s 15-year-olds had a score of 409 compared to 440 points while science also dropped 22 to 416 from 438 points.
This international benchmark study helps measure how prepared 15-year-olds who underwent formal education are to fully integrate into modern society. – June 27, 2024
