PADANG TERAP: Parents and school authorities should adopt wise approaches when resolving issues between them and avoid resorting to litigation, said Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid.
He said for instance, Parent-Teacher Associations could act as mediators in resolving an issue to ensure that the right outcomes could be achieved.
“Although there are only a handful of such cases (litigation), we hope that both parties will adopt a wise approach and avoid litigation.
“However, the ministry assures that it will give its full cooperation to the authorities if needed,” he told reporters after launching “Karnival Muafakat Komuniti” and “Pemimpin Bersama Rakyat” programmes at Felda Lubuk Merbau here yesterday.
Mahdzir was commenting on a local newspaper report that had quoted Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed as saying that there was a growing increase in lawsuits against teachers.
Meanwhile, Johor police chief Datuk Mohd Khalil Kader Mohd said police accepted that it was the right of the parents to lodge reports against teachers who take disciplinary action on their children, but urged them to consult with the school authorities first before taking action.
“Police cannot prevent parents from lodging reports as it is our responsibility to accept reports from the public,” he told reporters after officiating the monthly gathering at the Johor Police Contingent Headquarters today.
Mohd Khalil was commenting on the remarks Nur Jazlan who had said the frequency of police reports made by parents against teachers was nearly every week. — Bernama