{"id":21145,"date":"2021-05-07T13:11:09","date_gmt":"2021-05-07T05:11:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.therocket.com.my\/en\/?p=21145"},"modified":"2021-05-07T13:36:08","modified_gmt":"2021-05-07T05:36:08","slug":"we-must-not-fail-our-children-4-steps-to-makeschoolsasaferplace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.therocket.com.my\/en\/we-must-not-fail-our-children-4-steps-to-makeschoolsasaferplace\/","title":{"rendered":"We must not fail our children! 4 steps to #MakeSchoolsASaferPlace"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Media statement by ADUN for Kampung Tunku, Lim Yi Wei on 7 May 2021:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Are we failing our children?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n

For Malaysian children and youth, living with Covid-19 has been chaotic. Schools closed, opened, and closed again due to rising case numbers. As students prepare to return to online learning, the 150,000 laptops for B40 students promised by the Finance Minister have yet to be seen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the past month, students have revealed experiences of sexual harassment in school. Period spot checks, unwanted touch, rape jokes affected girls; boys were not exempt from groping and lewd remarks. After 17-year-old Ain Husniza Saiful Nizam shared on Tiktok about her teacher\u2019s rape joke (ironically in a class discussing sexual harassment), she received rape threats from a classmate and was accused of being a \u201ctroubled\u201d student and autistic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Facebook, Malaysiakini<\/em>\u2019s interview with Ain and her father were flooded with lewd comments on her body. Some said that she deserved the threats. Netizens found out that some of the commenters were teachers<\/a>; one was a motivational counsellor that traveled between secondary schools. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n

Sexual harassment and rape are crimes, not joking material<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n

Responses from figures in authority have been disappointing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n

1.      When confronted about period spot checks, Education Minister Radzi Jidin stated that MOE asked schools if this happened, and schools said no. Case closed.<\/em> Pressed further, he challenged the public to name the schools<\/a>. This week, Malaysiakini<\/em> submitted a list of at least 15 schools. Ball\u2019s now in your court, minister. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n

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Malaysiakini<\/a> article screenshot on Education Minister handed list of alleged schools involved in period spot checks. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n

2.      Women, Children and Community Development Minister Rina Harun said she would \u201cpandang serius<\/em>\u201d into this issue. Her deputy Siti Zailah has been silent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n

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The Sun Daily<\/a> article screenshot on Rina Harun\u2019s statement. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n

3.      The newly installed Inspector-General of Police (IGP) was quoted at a press conference describing the rape threat against Ain as a \u201cpossible joke\u201d by her classmate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n

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Malaysiakini <\/a>article screenshot on Datuk Acryl Sani\u2019s comments. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n

4.      In an Astro Awani interview, the Secretary-General of the National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) point-blank denied students’ sexual harassment complaints and rape culture in schools. Instead of addressing the issue, he badgered the moderators on \u201cfacts and data\u201d to prove whether the problem is occurring nationwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow is this a widespread problem? Where’s the data, how many schools are we talking about?\u201d says Harry Tan, Sec-Gen of NUTP when asked by @melisa_idris<\/a> & @sharaadkuttan<\/a> if the Teachers’ Union is concerned abt abuse allegations in schools. #ConsiderThis<\/a> at https:\/\/t.co\/6oMihRqLO5<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/0vYnThzOmY<\/a><\/p>\u2014 \ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\uddfeAstro AWANI\ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\uddfe (@501Awani) May 5, 2021<\/a><\/blockquote>