SHAH ALAM – Education expert Dr Anuar Ahmad has called for a shift in the approach to tackling bullying in schools, stressing that the issue requires more than broad policies and must be addressed at the grassroots level.
Anuar said bullying issues needed school-level action, with trained teachers and firm principals to address it.
"Bullying doesn’t just require policies. It must be handled at the school level. Teachers need to be trained to identify high-risk groups and principals must have the firmness and commitment to resolve bullying,” he told Sinar Daily.
He explained that schools should maintain detailed records of students, including their family backgrounds, behavior and disciplinary history, as a preventive measure.
Small disciplinary violations such as being late, skipping school, talking back to teachers or disturbing classmates often signalled a high-risk group of students who may later develop into bullies.
"This is not a sudden process. It develops over time. These students gain confidence, feel superior and even see themselves as 'heroes' within their group," he added.
Anuar warned that giving incentives to schools that claimed to be 'zero bullying' was inappropriate and could backfire.
Instead, he argued, recognition should be given to schools that demonstrate best practices in reducing bullying.
“Rewarding ‘zero bullying’ might encourage schools to hide cases just to maintain that image. The truth is, bullying can happen anywhere, in any condition. What matters is how schools deal with it,” he said.
Citing boarding schools as an example, Anuar noted that even among smart and high-achieving students, bullying still takes place due to peer culture and group influence.
“This shows it’s not about weak students, but the environment and peer pressure,” he said.
He urged school leaders to be more vigilant and for teachers to develop the ability to detect high-risk groups early.
He also stressed the need for schools to profile potential victims, such as students who are quiet, socially withdrawn or different from their peers.
“For instance, a wealthy student entering a boarding school where most students come from poor families may stand out because of their lifestyle, the way they speak or their behavior. These differences could make them a target,” he explained.
He said many factors contributed to bullying, but schools were the ones best positioned to address them effectively.
“The ministry can set policies, but they cannot handle bullying on a case-by-case basis. The reality is, bullying differs across rural schools, urban schools, boarding schools, religious schools, vernacular schools, tahfiz schools and more. Schools know best,” he said.
He emphasised that incentives should instead go to schools that successfully reduce bullying through effective methods.
“We should not simply aim for ‘zero bullying.’ The reality is, when many students gather in one place, bullying cases can happen.
"The key is to show best practices that reduce cases, prevent escalation and gradually eliminate bullying,” he said.