It takes a village: Greater parental involvement needed to curb school violence

SHAH ALAM – Strengthening parental involvement is a critical preventive measure against student-related violence.

Independent scholar, author and researcher Sharifah Munirah Alatas said this approach can build a more collaborative school ecosystem where parents and teachers shared responsibility for guiding students.

She said schools must actively engage parents to help nurture students' values and discipline.

Pointing to a recent policy shift in the 2026 Budget, she said it was as a positive step that the Early Schooling Aid would be distributed by teachers to parents in person, rather than via direct bank transfer.

“It encourages a more participatory role for parents in their children's education and helps build a more personable school ecosystem,” she told Sinar Daily.

She emphasised that this direct interaction fostered a more informed and interactive relationship between parents and teachers, which was fundamental for imparting values in both academic and non-academic matters.

Beyond parental engagement, Munirah also addressed the intense public debate surrounding the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examinations for the students accused in the recent gang rape case.

She expressed that the massive public backlash was justified, but questioned why the media posed the question about their examination eligibility in the first place.

She urged both the media and civil society to reframe the public discourse to more effectively impact policy and hold leaders accountable.

Instead of focusing on examinations for the accused, she called for consistent and persistent attention on the escalating critical issues within schools.

Key themes that demanded focus, she said, included the alarming increase in sexual assault and serious physical violence, the rise of verbal and textual abuse used to shame and dehumanise, the dissemination of harmful video clips on social media platforms and the tragic link between bullying and rising suicide rates among students.

“Our schools are no longer safe spaces,” Munirah said, reiterating that addressing this crisis required schools to engage parents more deeply as part of a fundamental 'whole of society' strategy for educational excellence and student safety.