Stern action against teacher if proven guilty - Mahdzir

The Education Ministry would take stern action against a teacher who allegedly molested nine students at a Tamil primary school in Hulu Selangor, if there was strong evidence.

Its Minister, Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said the ministry could impose the heaviest penalty if the offence involved criminal, police or court case, and after the teacher had been proven guilty.

"We take this seriously. We can take action not just on this particular case but also on other cases involving the breach of law, regulations and non-compliance of (civil) service circular. We have a teacher in Pahang who was sacked being convicted.

"But such an action requires strong evidence. We cannot take action based on hearsay or when that person is yet to be charged or sentenced," he told reporters after a working visit to SMK Alor Akar here Thursday.

Also present were Education director-general Tan Sri Dr Khair Mohamad Yusof and Pahang Education Department director-general Datuk Rosdi Ismail.

Mahdzir was asked to comment on a statement by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who addressed the issue at the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday.

It was reported that the teacher was transferred to the Hulu Selangor Education Office for two months before being transferred to another school, a decision that drew heavy criticism from parents and teachers.

In another development, Mahdzir said the Pahang Education Department would increase its intake of more than 4,000 Orang Asli students to 25 schools statewide.

He said at the moment, the presence of Orang Asli students at dedicated schools for the Orang Asli stood at 85 per cent.

"We want to ensure their presence will be increased three or four per cent from the existing numbers so that the gap with the ordinary schools will not be so apparent," he said. -- BERNAMA