KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 11): The Ministry of Education (MOE) will carry out safety audits at all schools, including full boarding schools and daily hostels, to ensure compliance with safety procedures. The audits will be completed and reported to top management within three months.

This comes after the death of Zara Qairina, a Form One student at SMKA Tun Datu Mustapha in Papar, Sabah. On July 16, Zara was found unconscious on the ground floor of her dormitory, believed to have fallen from the third floor. She was pronounced dead at Queen Elizabeth I Hospital and buried on July 18 without an autopsy.

Later, her family lodged a police report and submitted a 44-second audio recording of a conversation between Zara and her mother, raising questions about whether her fall was truly accidental. They requested an exhumation for a post-mortem. On Aug 8, the Attorney General’s Chambers approved the exhumation and ordered police to involve forensic experts in the investigation.

In response to growing safety concerns, the MOE’s director general Dr Mohd Azam Ahmad in a statement said it will reform the current bullying complaint system, making it easier to use and allowing anonymous reports to protect victims and witnesses.

A new safety reform committee will also be formed, involving experts, non-government organisations, police, and representatives from the community and private sector.

The ministry will also update school safety and discipline guidelines, with strict action — such as suspension or expulsion — for students involved in bullying. A new programme called Bangkit Bermaruah (Rise with Dignity) will be introduced for suspended students, focusing on community service and character building.

The statement said teachers and officials who fail to handle bullying cases properly will face disciplinary action. Psychosocial support will also be strengthened in schools, with counselling teachers playing a key role.