PADANG TERAP: The Education Department and respective school administrations are authorised to manage and resolve certain student-related matters without any intervention from the Education Ministry.
Its Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid, in clarifying this, was commenting on a recent case where a male teacher of a primary school in Tikam Batu, Sungai Petani, had allegedly beaten and trampled on a 12-year-old pupil.
"There is no need for all issues involving students in school to be brought to the ministry level.
"Certain issues can be managed and resolved at the school and District Education Department level," he said.
According to Mahdzir, there are currently a total of 10,191 schools with 420,000 teachers and nearly five million students throughout the country.
"There are various incidents involving students every day in schools nationwide. There is no way the Education Ministry would be able to manage and resolve every one of them.
"The recent incident in the school in Tikam Batu, Sungai Petani, for instance involved a teacher and a pupil.
"It is up to the school and the District Education Department to resolve the matter amicably and accordingly," he said.
It was reported that the student's father claimed that his son was beaten and trampled on by a male teacher for modifying his bicycle handle.
A police report was also made by the father last Thursday (February 3).