Mahdzir (right) visits the Alor Setar Vocational College. — Bernama photo
ALOR SETAR: Teachers who fall victim to bullying have been urged to lodge police reports to ensure their safety and avoid any untoward incidents from occurring.
Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said there were indeed cases of teachers being bullied, however, they were often not reported due to fears over personal safety when outside the school premises.
“There are teachers who do not want to report because they do not want to drag the issue, and they also worry about their own safety as they could be threatened by students who are involved in gangsterism.
“Teachers need to file reports so that action can be taken against bullies and the Ministry of Education (MOE) will in no way obstruct them if they wished to lodge a police report,” he told reporters after visiting the Alor Setar Vocational College here, yesterday.
He said teachers who were victims of bullying did not have to hide or worry about the school’s reputation if they wished to lodge a police report as the ministry was firm in addressing the problem, besides emphasising the safety of the teachers.
In the meantime, Mahdzir said he was willing to work with parents who wanted to send their children involved in gangsterism or bullying to rehabilitation centres.
“I would like to emphasise that we (MOE) will not compromise with students who are involved in gangsterism or bullying activities, and they may be subjected to strict action if found guilty,” he said. — Bernama