“A good teacher can get results using any method, and that a bad teacher can wreck any method.” – Unknown
IN the Malaysia of my school days (especially in the mission schools that I attended), the teacher-student relationship was defined by formality and respect. ‘Mr’ or ‘Mrs’, ‘Sir’ or ‘Madam’ followed by surnames was the norm; we didn’t address them by first names. Conversations beyond the classroom were rare and always courteous.
We had so much respect for our teachers. The notion of a teacher, especially one in a position of moral or religious authority, sexually assaulting a pupil was unthinkable. Tragically, that unthinkable has become all-too common.
Over the past few years, our headlines have chronicled a deeply unsettling reality: those entrusted with our children’s education are sometimes betraying that sacred trust in the most shocking way.
Disturbingly, some of these predators serve not just as educators but as religious figures, individuals meant to uphold moral standards. The hard evidence from police investigations to survivor testimonies and non-governmental reports confirms the depth of this crisis.
Just this month, in Melaka, a 55-year-old primary school headmaster was arrested for allegedly molesting a 12-year-old boy, whispering “I love you” in both the school toilet and his office. The boy confided in his mother, who immediately filed a police report.
Earlier in the year, still in Melaka, another teacher was detained for molesting two Year Six girls inside a ‘haunted house’ attraction during a school carnival. The traumatised students ran to their headmistress, who called in the police.
These are not isolated anomalies. In Penang, a 40-year-old Islamic religious teacher was arrested for molesting five boys and coercing them into sexual acts, some of which occurred after school hours in the surau.
In Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur, a religious teacher was convicted for molesting a five-year-old pupil in a private home. In Sabah, a serial predator was convicted for raping, sodomising, and molesting eight girls aged six to 10, earning him an 80-year prison sentence and 20 strokes of the cane. The rot cuts across religion, geography, and institution type.
But anecdotal horror stories alone cannot be the full measure. That’s where the All Women’s Action Society (AWAM)/Save The Schools MY (STS) report offers disturbing clarity. Based on 770 testimonies collected from April to August 2021, the report by the independent feminist non-profit organisation identified 1,145 incidents of abuse in schools.
Peers accounted for about 43 per cent of perpetrators, while figures of authority in schools, including teachers and religious teachers, made up roughly 41 per cent. That means four in 10 cases involved adults in positions of trust. Moreover, 89.2 per cent of the harassment incidents occurred in primary and secondary schools.
The problem goes beyond frequency. It is compounded by silence and inaction. A staggering 81.4 per cent of sexual harassment violations were not reported. Among the 18.6 per cent that were, 50.3 per cent resulted in no action taken.
Victims and their families were often silenced through intimidation, victim-blaming, or even financial inducements. Verbal harassment was most common (36.9 per cent), followed by physical harassment (35.2 per cent), and many survivors suffered lasting psychological effects.
These statistics are not abstract; they reflect deep structural failures. There are several reasons why such abuse persists and, alarmingly, may be increasing.
One reason is that teachers now have unsupervised access to children, like in empty classrooms, offices, storerooms, even toilets. With no strict boundaries, the potential for abuse festers.
The internet is also partly to blame, in my opinion. Social media, messaging apps, and online platforms have eroded once-clear lines between professional and personal contact. Innocent chats about homework can quickly become predatory grooming.
Also, in many communities, especially in our country, sex and sexual misconduct remain taboo to discuss. Children are often not taught to recognise inappropriate behaviour, and families fear the stigma of reporting.
Another shocking measure is that too often, accused educators are quietly transferred rather than suspended. This preserves the institution’s reputation but endangers more children and shields perpetrators from accountability.
Weak safeguarding policies are also to blame! National guidelines may exist, but enforcement is lax. Many schools lack transparent, child-friendly reporting venues, especially mechanisms that allow students to safely speak out.
And some religious educators are also at fault when they betray the trust placed in them. When a religious teacher abuses a child, the wound cuts deeper. These individuals are meant to uphold moral virtue; their betrayal can shatter spiritual and emotional trust, making it harder for victims to come forward.
If we continue treating these cases as isolated “bad apples”, we are just sweeping the problem under the carpet . But there is hope and a path forward if we act decisively, now.
First, background checks and continuous vetting must be mandatory for all educators, be they secular or religious, before hiring and periodically thereafter. Any credible accusation must trigger immediate suspension pending investigation.
Second, adopt a zero-tolerance policy nationwide. Any teacher under credible suspicion of sexual misconduct must be suspended. Hey! Not quietly reassigned. No more privileged departures or hush agreements.
Third, establish safe, anonymous reporting channels. Schools need child-friendly hotlines, suggestion boxes monitored by independent officers, and designated ‘safe adults’ trained to receive disclosures with care and discretion.
Fourth, integrate professional boundaries, gender sensitivity, and abuse prevention training into pre-service teacher education and make it a recurring requirement in-service. Enforce a clear, legally backed code of conduct with well-defined penalties for violations.
Fifth, parental and community oversight is indispensable. Parents must understand grooming signs and how to support victims. PTAs should play an active, watchdog role in safeguarding policy review and implementation.
Sixth, limit one-on-one, unsupervised contact wherever possible. If such contact is necessary, it should occur in visible, open spaces or with another staff member present.
Seventh, digital communication must be regulated. Teachers must not use personal messaging apps to contact students; all communications should go through approved, monitored school platforms.
Finally, the Ministry of Education should establish an independent child protection oversight body outside its direct purview with powers to investigate allegations, enforce accountability, and ensure transparency in handling cases.
This is not a moral panic – it is a child protection emergency. When over 40 per cent of sexual harassment cases involve figures of authority in schools, the crisis is not one of perception, it is undeniable fact.
And the cost of inaction is not theoretical. Survivors can suffer lifelong trauma, including depression, anxiety, damaged relationships, post-traumatic stress, and diminished trust. We cannot stand by as this damage silently compounds.
Malaysia’s future depends on the faith children place in their educators. We must restore that trust, not just through compassion but through courage and resolve.
I remember my school days when respect was earned through professionalism, not fear. Boundaries were clear, and we felt safe. We can restore that culture. But doing so requires us to dismantle the institutional shields protecting abusers and rebuild our system with transparency, accountability, and empathy.
Our children deserve classrooms where the only touch they feel from a teacher is a congratulatory pat. Not a violation of innocence. This is not just about protecting students from predators. It is about safeguarding the very soul of education.
This is the moment to end the silence. Let us demand from the Ministry of Education, religious authorities, and Putrajaya a national mandate: No more abuse. No more silence!
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune. The writer can be reached at rajlira@gmail.com
