MELAKA EDUCATION DEPT, PDRM STEP UP SECURITY MEASURES FOR STUDENT SAFETY - EXCO

MELAKA, Dec 8 (Bernama) -- The Melaka Education Department is stepping up security measures in collaboration with the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) to ensure the safety of students within school areas.

State Education, Higher Education and Religious Affairs Committee chairman Datuk Rahmad Mariman said key initiatives include strengthening the enforcement of school safety standard operating procedures (SOPs) and increasing police patrols in high-risk areas.

He said schools are also being strengthened through emergency preparedness training, the activation of teacher safety coordinator teams, and improvements to incident recording and reporting systems.

“Efforts to enhance students’ safety literacy and to increase community involvement are also a priority to ensure the school ecosystem remains safe and conducive,” he said.

“Every school must also remain vigilant about safety factors on their premises by carrying out the School Safety Rating (SPKS) assessment periodically each year,” he said during the Melaka State Assembly sitting at the Seri Negeri Complex here today.

He said this in his reply to a question from Dr Mohd Aleef Yusof (PN-Sungai Udang), who asked about the measures being implemented to ensure that schools in Melaka remain safe environments for children.

Meanwhile, Rahmad said the influence of social media and the easy accessibility of the internet were among the factors contributing to the continued occurrence of crime cases involving schoolchildren.

He said that to curb the misuse of technology among students, the MOE continues to enforce its policy prohibiting students from bringing mobile phones to school, aimed at reducing the risks of device misuse, including unauthorised recordings, exposure to inappropriate content and unhealthy social media interactions during school hours.

“In this regard, several schools have introduced the use of metal detectors at their entrances to detect students attempting to secretly bring mobile phones into the premises.

“The use of metal detectors enables teachers on duty to identify mobile phones more efficiently and accurately, without resorting to physical checks that may cause discomfort to students,” he said.

-- BERNAMA