00:00The G25 group of prominent retired civil servants is urging the government to look beyond guards, CCTV cameras, and disciplinary
00:09procedures to make schools safer.
00:12G25 said such measures were necessary but did not address the root causes of student violence, including pressure faced by
00:20children and exposure to violence online.
00:23The group was responding to a series of violent incidents in schools, including the killing of Form 4 student Irene
00:30Sofia Khairul Faisal in Yongpeng, Johor.
00:33Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim revealed yesterday that 5,681 bullying cases were reported in schools during the first eight months
00:42of the year.
00:43Anwar also announced an additional RM15 million next year to install CCTV cameras at 1,000 schools as part of
00:51efforts to improve student safety.
00:54However, G25 called the response a reactive approach of announcing another measure or review after each crisis, saying it was
01:03not good enough when children's safety and lives were at stake.
01:06The group called for an independent and comprehensive review of school safety and student well-being involving stakeholders and experts,
01:15rather than separate reviews after individual tragedies examined in isolation.
01:20The review should examine physical security, hostile supervision, CCTV coverage, bullying and disciplinary procedures, mental health support, and the effectiveness
01:31of existing policies.
01:33Panyujo, FMT
01:36PN 95
01:36PN 95
01:36PN 96
