The Penang Education Department is investigating allegations that an SPM candidate was repeatedly slapped and pinched by a teacher at a school, leaving the student bruised and afraid to attend classes.
Penang Education Department director Mohamad Dziauddin Mat Saad said his department had received a complaint and instructed the district education office to investigate the allegations and recommend further action.
He said the district office had also met the student and the family.
“The Penang Education Department will give its full cooperation to the authorities involved in this matter,” he said when contacted.
Mohamad Dziauddin added that the department’s immediate priority was to provide socio-emotional counselling to help the student prepare for the upcoming Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination.
He also called on all parties to work together to ensure a safe educational environment for both students and teachers, particularly as candidates for the 2026 SPM examination enter the final stage of their preparations.
He said collective support was important to maintaining a positive atmosphere and public confidence in the education system.
The allegations went viral on social media after the student’s parents appealed to the Education Ministry’s leadership to intervene.
In their post, the parents claimed their child had been repeatedly slapped and pinched by a teacher, allegedly leaving bruises on the student’s body.
They also alleged that the teacher had insulted the student over poor academic results.
The parents further claimed that the incidents had severely affected their child’s confidence, leaving the teenager afraid to go to school.
According to the post, the student had even expressed reluctance to sit for the SPM examination, which is scheduled to begin next week.
