Proactive measures needed to prevent bullying in schools - Mahdzir

Preventive measures must be enhanced to handle disciplinary problems in schools, especially bullying and gangsterism, said Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid.

Mahdzir when commenting on a schoolboy who is said to have laced roach poison to a plate of noodles of his alleged bully at a school in Sarawak, said the school, State Education Department and District Education office must take proactive measures to prevent indiscipline in schools becoming a serious problem.

"We have to double our efforts to prevent disciplinary cases in schools. We must use micro targeting and start counselling or monitoring students identified with discipline problems.

"I was speechless when I was informed about the latest case but we have to face such situation because it is our responsibility to safeguard the community and ensure the education system in the country remain relevant," he told reporters in Sekijang, here today.

Mahdzir who is also an UMNO Supreme Council member earlier opened the Sekijang UMNO Division delegates meeting which was also attended by UMNO Sekijang Division chief Datuk Dr Baharum Mohammad and 325 delegates.

Local dailies had yesterday reported that a Form 1 schoolboy who was a victim of bullying had retaliated by giving noodles laced with poison as a measure of revenge against the boy who had bullied him at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Sri Aman in Sarawak.

The victim who unknowingly consumed the noodles laced with poison, was later taken to a hospital after he had started vomiting.

Police are said to be investigating the case.

-- BERNAMA