Students must have a voice in policies that shape their lives, rather than leaving such decisions solely to adults, says Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy.
The TAR UMT board of governors and alumni council chairman said listening directly to students would strengthen the relevance, credibility and long-term sustainability of any national framework aimed at improving school safety and student well-being.
00:00Mr. Chak Belchoy, to share his opening remarks.
00:13Academic pressure, emotional stress, digital exposure, cyber risk, and mental health challenges are no longer isolated incidents.
00:30There are systemic issues that require us to rethink how we define school safety.
00:41Today, safety can no longer be limited to physical protection alone.
00:49It must also include psychological safety, emotional resilience, and supportive ecosystems that allow young people to learn, to grow, and to thrive with confidence and dignity.
01:08It is in response to these evolving realities that the Safe School 2.0 initiative was developed.
01:20This initiative represents research-driven and policy-oriented efforts to strengthen Malaysia's school safety framework to a more holistic, compassionate, and evidence-based approach.
01:40It reflects our belief that universities have a responsibility not only to generate knowledge, but also to ensure that knowledge is translated into meaningful impact for society and governance.
02:00Through Safe School 2.0, the research team has shown how scholarship can be translated into practical insights that support evidence-based decision-making and long-term educational reform.
02:19This initiative exemplifies Ta UMT's role as a university that bridges disciplines and institutions, theory and practice scholarship and society in service of national development.
02:39Today's dialogue is particularly significant because it places students at the center of the conversation.
02:49Policies that affect young people should not be shaped solely by adult assumptions, which was the conventional way of policy-making.
03:04They must be informed by the life experiences, voices, and realities of students themselves.
03:14By listening directly to students, we strengthen the relevance, credibility, and sustainability of any framework we hope to implement at the national level.
03:31As we begin this dialogue, I encourage all participants, particularly the students, educators, and academics, and practitioners to listen openly, engage respectfully, and reflect sincerely.
03:52Let us approach this session with empathy and humility, recognizing that every voice shared today contributes to a deeper understanding of how we can build safer, more supportive schools for all.
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