Malaysia is facing a growing school bullying crisis, with 7,681 cases reported nationwide in 2024, up from 6,528 in 2023. Of these, 1,992 cases occurred in primary schools, while 5,689 were reported in secondary schools.
The rise in incidents prompted the Malaysian Association of Social Workers to host an online forum titled ‘Social Workers in Schools: A Missing Link in Combating Bullying’ on Oct 21. The discussion comes in the wake of a recent fatal stabbing of a 16-year-old student in Bandar Utama and reports of five Form Five students gang-raping a Form Three student in Melaka.
“There is an urgent need for trained social workers, as the current school response is limited and teachers and counsellors are often overburdened and under-resourced,” said Associate Professor Dr Abdul Razak Abd Manaf from Universiti Utara Malaysia’s School of Applied Psychology, Social Work and Policy.
“They can form part of a coordinated response involving healthcare services, child protection agencies, and school administrators,” he added, noting that bullying is often linked to family dynamics, peer relationships, and sometimes even neglect or abuse.
Other panellists included Saiful Effendi Mohd Zahari, Principal Assistant Director of Student Affairs, School Management Division, Education Ministry; Ponniya Irham, Children’s Division Officer at the Sabah Social Welfare Department; and social worker Sutharssan Nadarajan.
Abdul Razak, who previously worked as a social worker in the United States, highlighted that countries such as the US, Britain, Singapore, and those in Scandinavia embed social workers in schools as key members of multidisciplinary support teams alongside counsellors, psychologists, and nurses.
“Schools with dedicated social workers report lower levels of chronic absenteeism and disciplinary problems,” he said. “Social workers need to be fully integrated into the school system. They cannot be casual or part-time workers. Their presence must be consistent, professional, and embedded.”
He also revealed Malaysia suffers from a shortage of professional social workers, with just one social worker for every 8,576 Malaysians. By comparison, the US has one social worker for every 490 Americans, and Australia has one for every 1,040 citizens.
“There is a need for a national policy to support social workers in schools,” Abdul Razak said. “Some schools accept them, but others don’t, as having social workers is not compulsory.”
Saiful Effendi added that there are over 10,000 guidance counsellors in Malaysian schools, and the ministry has established a specialised ‘smart support team’ focused on students’ psychological wellbeing.
He emphasised the steps schools must take when bullying occurs. “Schools must take complaints seriously, inform parents, and protect victims and witnesses. They should record and report incidents immediately, follow guidelines, and, if necessary, work closely with the police.”
The panellists also stressed the urgent need for the Social Work Profession Bill to be passed – a proposal first introduced in 2010.
“We’ve waited more than a decade. Without proper legislation, social workers remain undervalued and underutilised, especially in education, where they could have a massive impact,” Abdul Razak said.
He urged the government to recognise social workers as essential in safeguarding student wellbeing. “It’s about building a system of care in schools. Social workers are trained to look at the bigger picture and work collaboratively to protect children. Their absence is a glaring gap in our current response.”
