KUALA LUMPUR: Teachers are not trained to spot or handle aggressive and extremist behaviour among schoolchildren, as they can only rely on the discipline guidebook to address issues, said the National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP).
NUTP secretary-general Fouzi Singon said current school guidelines do not equip teachers with the skills needed to manage cases of such behaviour.
"Even discipline teachers or student affairs assistants do not get specific training on the matter. All that is available is a general briefing on the discipline rulebook or circulars," he told New Straits Times.
He said without proper training, teachers cannot distinguish violent behaviours and must rely on their own experience.
"A teacher simply reports the case to the principal or senior assistant for action like calling the parents or expelling the student."
Last week, Public Accounts Committee chairman Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin raised concerns about nihilistic violent extremism (NVE) among school-children, which requires joint action by the government, schools and parents.
NVE is an emerging form of extremism involving violence without a clear political, religious or conventional ideological agenda.
On Wednesday, a male student, 16, allegedly brought firecrackers and an axe to an international school, injuring a female teacher.
Sarawak acting police commissioner Deputy Commissioner Saifullizan Ishak said Kuching police received information on the incident at 8.03am.
"The victim reportedly sustained a cut to her hand," he said.
Fouzi urged the Education Ministry to involve ground-level educators when devising new school safety policies.
"NUTP must be involved in drafting any policy so that teachers' real experiences on the ground can serve as a guide."
Parent Action Group for Education said parents and educational institutions must take proactive steps to address warning signs in children rather than waiting for violent incidents to occur.
Chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said early action was key to keeping students safe.
"The priority is to identify risks early, intervene proportionately and ensure that every child has a safe route to seek help without fear of being condemned or abandoned," she said, adding that trust was vital because children, who fear punishment or humiliation, might hide their experiences.
"Parental responsibility cannot stop at simply asking children whether they are safe online. Where there are credible warning signs, parents may need to take more active protective steps."
She said schools needed accessible pathways to trained mental health professionals, child protection services and law enforcement when warranted.
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