Union: Give teachers autonomous power to tackle school bullying

SIBU: Sarawak Bumiputera Teachers Union (KGBS) has suggested that teachers be given the autonomous power to tackle bullying cases.

Its president Ahmad Malie said this would allow schools to be more effective in dealing with such cases as they would not have to refer the matter to the District Education Office (PPD) or state Education Department (JPN).

“With autonomous power, it is expected it will facilitate school authorities to deal with bullying cases more effectively,” he said yesterday.

Ahmad was commenting on Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid’s recent call for the District Education Offices and schools’ management to be more proactive in handling the problem of bullying.

Mahdzir had said such efforts include having discussions and meetings together with their respective district police chiefs to identify the hotspot areas with bullying elements.

He also wanted the schools’ management to forge closer relations with the police and to report any cases of bullying to the authorities.

On this, Ahmad said: “KGBS fully supports Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid’s call for all district education officers to find a holistic way to handle the issue of bullying.

“To KGBS, district education officers are not the only ones who need to deal with this issue of bullying, but all teachers as well.”