MOE may put out facts should misleading accounts of bullying be uploaded online

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.

He was responding to questions from MPs about the fighting incident, which was captured on video and first circulated online on Feb 22.

The video showed a classroom fight, where a group of boys could be seen trailing another boy, tripping and kicking him. After he got up, the boy fell again after being tripped and was kicked again. The widely circulated clip attracted claims that it was an instance of bullying.

On March 3, MOE said that all three Secondary 1 students involved in the incident would be punished, which includes caning, detention, and suspension. It added that the students had been counselled, and the school would work with parents to provide necessary support.

The boy who was pushed had been involved in the classroom fight with two other boys, before a teacher stopped them. The two boys then followed the third boy to the canteen, where the fight continued, said the ministry.

As all parties shared some responsibility for the incident, disciplinary action had been taken to help them understand the severity and consequences of their actions, it added.

Dr Maliki said on March 7 that MOE may disclose information on the actions taken against those involved - including the initiator of a fight and those who retaliate or join in subsequently - and that it will also hold bystanders and those who share recordings online accountable, through counselling or punishment if necessary.

"This is to remind them not to do so, to avoid further hurting the ones who are involved and to highlight to them that by sharing the recordings, they are endorsing the acts and are complicit to the act," he said.

This approach will also mitigate the impulse to normalise or chase the extremes in the contest to circulate ever more startling videos and content, he added.

"While we would hope that members of the public can remember that what they see or read online may not present the full facts of the case, people often react emotively to what they see online, and form quick judgments on what happened, or who was in the right and who was in the wrong.

"We cannot form good conclusions from a video snippet," he said.

Dr Maliki reiterated MOE's stance that any form of hurtful behaviour is unacceptable and has no place in schools.

Schools will conduct thorough investigations when any such incident is reported before deciding on the appropriate course of action, which could include both disciplinary and rehabilitative actions, he added.

If a police report is filed, the school will assist in investigations and support staff and students involved. Serious cases may result in legal consequences, said Dr Maliki.

"While firm actions will be taken to address the parties involved in each incident, the school will also use the opportunity as a teaching moment for all its students," he said.