MOE May Put Out Facts; Should Misleading Accounts Of Bullying Be Publicised Online?

This is to ensure a fair account for all parties, including educators

- Gabrielle Chan

While it prefers to handle fighting and bullying incidents in schools sensitively, the Ministry of Education (MOE) may put out facts to ensure a fair account for all parties, including educators, said Second Minister for Education Maliki Osman on March 7.

This is MOE's approach should a case be publicised online that provides an unbalanced view of an incident, Dr Maliki said in reply to parliamentary questions about a recent fighting case in Montfort Secondary School.

"MOE and schools would prefer to handle each case sensitively, to provide space and privacy for the students involved to learn from their mistakes and grow from the experience," he said.

"However, if a case is made public online and the information provided is unduly skewed such that it causes public concern, damages the reputation of other parties, and/or seek to promote one side of the story even though the accuser may not be totally innocent, MOE may have to put out the facts of the case to provide a balanced view of the entire incident, including the actions of all who were involved, based on the school's investigations."