Coordination between schools, families and support agencies remains limited, leaving many students without timely help when they are in distress, says Assoc. Prof. Datuk Dr Monna Ong Siew Siew.
The Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT) academic said recent cases of student distress, bullying, emotional breakdowns and even tragic outcomes had exposed serious gaps in how schools and adults respond to young people’s struggles.
00:00Dr. R. Quinty, the Dean of the Faculty of the Blind Service, R. U.S.P.
00:06Best food. Welcome, Associate Professor Dr. Mona.
00:12We know that today's student life lives in a world that is faster, louder, and more demanding than any generation before them.
00:21In recent months, Malaysia has witnessed a number of deeply concerning incidents involving student distress.
00:30Bullying, emotion breakdown, and tragic outcomes that have shaken our school and our society.
00:39These cases remind us that academic pressure, digital exposure, social comparison, misinformation, and relentless expectation are not longer as much as concerned,
00:53but real forces affecting young lives every day.
00:56Amid this pressure, many students quietly ask themselves,
01:02Am I good enough?
01:05Is anyone listening?
01:08Where do I go when I feel overwhelmed?
01:11We are here today because this question matters,
01:15and because no student should ever feel unseen, unheard, or alone.
01:20For many years, we believed school safety was about discipline, fences, CCTV cameras, or roofs.
01:31But the world was changed.
01:34Today, a safe school is not only one that protects the body, it must also protect the mind and heart.
01:42Last month, during our national forum, experts shared powerful observations.
01:50They highlighted that many students hide their distress due to fear and stigma.
01:57Teachers who generally care for their students often feel overwhelmed and lack mental health first excused.
02:03They are very skilled.
02:04They are very skilled.
02:05Several warning signs such as withdrawal, silence, and irritability are easily missed, particularly in a busy school environment.
02:16Coordination between schools, families, and support agencies also remains limited.
02:22Leaving too many students without timely assistance.
02:27Perhaps, the most important lesson we learned is that emotional resilience must be taught.
02:35It is not automatic, nor it is inherent.
02:39It must be intentionally nurtured.
02:42Even with this insight, experts agree on one key point.
02:47Safe School 2.0 is timely, practical, and deeply needed.
02:52Still, one essential element remains missing.
02:56That element is the voices of students themselves.
03:01In our early engagement, students shared truths that touched our hearts.
03:08I am scared to fail.
03:11I don't want to burden my parents.
03:15I wish teachers would ask if I am okay before asking for homework.
03:19When I am stressed, I keep quiet.
03:24I don't know who to talk to.
03:27These are not male ghosts.
03:29They are windowed into young sleep.
03:32These voices remind us that behind every school uniform is a human being with emotions, challenges, and quiet battles.
03:41Safe School 2.0 is our promise to respond.
03:48It is built on three pillars.
03:51Psychological safety, digital safety, compensancy, and accessible mental health support system.
03:58It is a vision of school where students do not have to cope alone, where help comes early, and where every student feels respected, protected, and valued.
04:11But no friend will, no matter how strong, can succeed without the voices of students.
04:17You are the heartbeat of the education system.
04:20You understand the challenges of your generation better than anyone.
04:26Today is not a lecture.
04:28It is not an exam.
04:30It is not a task of confidence.
04:32Today is a listening space.
04:34A gender space where your reflections will strengthen the State School 2.0 framework.
04:42Your honesty will become evidence.
04:45Your feelings will become guidance.
04:48You are not here to impress anyone.
04:52You are here to help us to understand, and we are here to learn from you.
04:56To every student present today, you matter.
05:01Your well-being matters.
05:04Your mental health matters.
05:07Your story matters.
05:09You deserve a school where you feel saved.
05:12You deserve adults who listened.
05:15You deserve support systems that lift you up and weight you down.
05:19You deserve the chance to grow without fear.
05:22Today is your moment, and today your voices are heard.
05:28As we begin this dialogue, I invite all of us, students and adults alike, to enter with open hearts.
05:38Let us imagine Malaysia where safety is not measured by mental gifts but by the world's empathy and humanity within our school.
05:48Let us work together to build Safe School 2.0 with truth, courage and compassion, and to shape a future where every student feel heard, supported and understood.
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