PUNISHMENTS for cyber bullying are among new additions into the disciplinary guidelines for teachers.

Deputy Education Minister P. Kamalanathan said the guidelines were being improved and updated.

“In the past, it did not touch on cyber bullying. Perhaps we can now include it so teachers can deal with students involved in such problems,” he told a press conference at SJK (T) Gelang Patah today.

Kamalanathan said society was facing cyber bullying cases and the ministry did not want this to affect school children.

Apart from punishments for cyber bullies, there will also be several other additions to the guideline, he said.

Kamalanathan said minister Mahdzir Khalid had also given his input for the guideline improvements.

“We will follow all the procedures in introducing the new punishments. It is important, as it involves students,” he said. 

Last Wednesday, the National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) called on the ministry to provide new guidelines for teachers to deal with students with disciplinary issues.

NUTP secretary-general Harry Tan Huat Hock said the existing guidelines that was issued in 1983 needed to be updated and improved.

Kalamanathan said the guideline improvement was meant to protect students and teachers.

“We want both parties to be protected. We have 430,000 teachers nationwide.

“Teachers only have one intention, which is to do the best for their students. They all want to give the children the best education.

“We want to help our teachers and make sure the children also get the best education,” he said.

Kamalanathan denied penalties faced by students who violate school regulations were lenient.

He said strictness meant differently to different people, and education was not merely about punishments.

“We need to correct the children and help them understand what is right and wrong. Teachers must be given the freedom to teach their kids what is right and what is wrong.

“But at the same time, teachers also must treat their students like their own children, even if they are given the freedom to handle disciplinary cases. 

“Would we use the same harsh punishments on our own children?” he said.

On the shortage of teachers, Kamalanathan said the issue would be resolved in March.

There are shortages of 403 primary school teachers and 334 secondary school teachers.

Kamalanathan said teachers would be sent to fill the vacancies.

He was on a working visit to three government schools in Gelang Patah, Johor, to monitor the start of the new school term. – January 1, 2018.