TANJUNG MALIM: Bully cases in schools dropped by 9.42 per cent last year, thanks to various preventive measures initiated by the schools, parents and the Education Ministry.
Education Deputy Minister Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi said the ministry received 2,617 reports on school bully cases last year compared to 2,889 in 2009 and 3,107 in 2008.
“This is a good sign for our effort in tackling the problem,” he said to reporters after launching the E-Buli portal at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), here yesterday.
Also present were UPSI vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Aminah Ayob and more than 50 representatives of parent-teacher associations and public and private institutions of higher learning.
The portal, set up to assist bully victims, can be accessed through http://ebuli.upsi.edu.my.
Mohd Puad, however, said that the reduction in cases was not a licence for the parties to be complacent but to regard it as a motivation to continue the good work.
“Overcoming this unhealthy trend lies in good personality formation. In this respect, parents play a crucial role, which means they should not leave their children’s upbringing solely to the teachers.”
He said that teachers, on the other hand, should not bind themselves to their traditional duty of merely providing education but to also help their students shape a good personality.
Mohd Puad also expressed concern that the new media might impact negatively on students.
“We are providing students with netbooks through the 1Malaysia Netbook Programme as we want them to be able to access knowledge digitally. But many have been found to use the Internet facility for activities that do not benefit them,” he lamented. — Bernama