4,289 bullying cases recorded in schools from March to August, says Fadhlina

KUALA LUMPUR: An average of 24 bullying cases were recorded daily in schools between March and August this year, bringing the total to 4,289 cases over six months.

Education Minister Datuk Seri Fadhlina Sidek said the cases, including incidents in hostels, comprised 2,480 involving physical bullying, 1,386 verbal bullying, 243 non-verbal bullying and 180 cyberbullying.

In response, she said, the Education Ministry has stepped up hostel monitoring through expanded closed-circuit television (CCTV) coverage, additional assistant wardens and safety audits.

CCTV cameras were installed in 200 boarding schools in 2025 and another 333 schools this year, with allocations of RM3 million and RM5 million respectively.

Another RM15 million has been allocated for 2027 to expand CCTV coverage to 1,000 schools nationwide.

Fadhlina said 300 MyStep Hostel Assistant Warden Personnel (MyPWA) had been deployed since April to support more than 10,000 existing wardens, particularly in strengthening night-time supervision.

The ministry had also audited hostel safety at 850 schools, with follow-up efforts this year through the Student Safety and Well-being Survey (TKKM) and In-Situ Guidance: Student Safety and Well-being (BKKM).

"Safety monitoring cannot rely solely on physical facilities.

"Supervision by school personnel, awareness of changes in students' behaviour and prompt action on complaints are also important components in ensuring a safe hostel environment," she said in a parliamentary reply.

Fadhlina said the ministry had upgraded its Bullying Complaints Portal to allow anonymous reports, giving students and witnesses a safer channel to lodge complaints.

Bullying cases are managed under the ministry's Circular No. 12 of 2023, while school safety is guided by Circular No. 3 of 2026.

The Anti-Bullying Act 2026, drafted with the Legal Affairs Division, came into force in stages from March 1 and was fully implemented on June 16. It provides for an Anti-Bullying Tribunal through which victims can seek redress.

"The ministry continues to strengthen its comprehensive approach to tackling bullying, covering enforcement, monitoring of school and hostel environments, victim protection, psychosocial intervention and student character development," she said.

Prevention efforts also include the School Anti-Bullying Framework for Empowerment (SAFE), introduced under Budget 2026, which promotes caring school practices, peer support and targeted counselling.

Fadhlina was responding to Muhammad Fawwaz Mohamad Jan (PN-Permatang Pauh), who asked about the number of bullying cases since the Anti-Bullying Act 2026 came into force and improvements to hostel monitoring following revelations during the inquest into Zara Qairina's death.