Dr Mohd Azam Ahmad, Malaysia’s Director-General of Education, has candidly revealed that within just three months of taking office, he discovered numerous negative issues in the national education system that had long been “swept under the carpet.”
Among the concerns are cases of sexual misconduct and bullying detected within institutions under the Ministry of Education (MOE). Dr Mohd Azam stressed that these issues, once hidden, are now his responsibility to bring to light to prevent further tragedies.
“I remind everyone that every negative incident must be reported. Even if schools and teachers receive complaints daily about sexual misconduct or bullying, they must be addressed,” he said.
Speaking at the launch of the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) Anti-Bullying Campaign, Dr Mohd Azam warned that ignoring these problems is like keeping a “thorn in the flesh” or an “atomic bomb waiting to explode.” He shared that in his short tenure as Director-General, he had already gathered extensive data on such incidents.
He expressed optimism that exposing these hidden issues has sparked awareness and the need for new initiatives to educate today’s youth.
Dr Mohd Azam also urged school administrators and state and district education directors to take stronger, more strategic roles in shaping education and student character. “Children today are not like before. The abundance of information they are exposed to can threaten their well-being, so we must be more energetic and strategic in managing these challenges,” he said.
