Malaysian schools are in crisis. Once places of joy, discovery, and growth, they are now making headlines for all the wrong reasons.
What should be safe spaces for learning have become breeding grounds for fear – where students are bullied, raped, shamed, and even killed. Have we lost our moral compass?
Where are the teachers, the principals, the security guards? Where is the Education Ministry? The standard response – “We will cooperate with police investigations” – is no longer enough. It is reactive, not preventive. And it is costing lives.
In recent times, we have seen a 13-year-old hostel student in Sabah die under suspicious circumstances after being scolded over a missing flag pin. A 15-year-old girl in Melaka was gang-raped by classmates in a classroom. A 14-year-old boy in Petaling Jaya fatally stabbed a schoolmate during school hours. These are just the cases that made the news.
Many more remain hidden – hushed up, undocumented, and unspoken – for reasons we all know too well.
Enough is enough. We need swift, realistic action on the ground. Every school must adopt a whole-of-community safety culture – where trained teachers, counsellors, and wardens work together to detect distress, prevent harm, and respond quickly.
Closed-circuit television (CCTV) systems must be functional, not ornamental. Students must have safe, confidential channels to report abuse.
Mental health support, emotional literacy, and digital safety must be embedded in the curriculum. Teachers need support, not burnout. And schools must work with police, parents, and neighbourhoods to build a protective web around every child.
But let us be clear: schools cannot do this alone. The home is the first school.
Parents must take responsibility for their children’s behaviour. Pleading ignorance is no longer acceptable. There are always signs – withdrawal, aggression, poor grades, troubling friendships, excessive screen time.
Parents must be present, vigilant, and emotionally engaged. They must know who their children spend time with and what they are going through.
Raising a child is not a passive act. When harm is done, families must step forward – not hide behind silence.
If we want safer schools, we must build stronger homes. The time for hand-wringing is over. Our children deserve better. And we, as a society, must act – now.
The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the writer and do not necessarily represent that of Twentytwo13.
