KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 13 (Bernama) -- The Federation of Peninsular Malay Students (GPMS) supports the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) efforts to strengthen pupil safety and welfare through the School Pupil Protection Policy, but calls for broader engagement with educators and other stakeholders to ensure effective implementation.
GPMS president Fazreen Fauzi said briefings, engagement sessions and roundtables with teachers, Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) and other stakeholders were important to ensure the policy’s objectives, scope and procedures were clearly understood while taking into account realities on the ground.
In a statement today, he welcomed the MOE’s plan to hold a special session with stakeholders to address concerns over the policy’s implementation, but said the dialogue should also include educators.
“GPMS calls on the MOE to open a more comprehensive dialogue platform with educators to ensure this policy can be implemented clearly, fairly and with consideration for school realities. Protecting pupils is a trust, but protecting teachers is also a responsibility,” he said.
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek had earlier announced that the MOE would hold a special session with stakeholders to address and review concerns over the policy, which was introduced through a Professional Circular (SPI) dated July 1 and requires school personnel and external parties dealing with schools to sign a Compliance Letter as a commitment to pupil safety.
The circular outlines five key areas of educational reform, namely mental health; reproductive and social health education, child sexual violence and illicit substance prevention; pupil protection policies; teacher welfare and the pupil voice.
-- BERNAMA