SMJK KEAT HWA... Beyond the Facade of Pride

After 2 days of picking up a tirade of sorts because I find it hard to comprehend the need for a certain character (which is the Principal, Wong Ghee Hong) to keep justifying his act by lying. I think it’s time to just lay bare the facts that led to the need for the tirades. This piece is about bullying and it took place in SMJK Keat Hwa 1, Jalan Kuala Kedah, Alor Setar, Kedah. The bully was a teacher. A result of this was I was one of 2 teachers who were transferred out by the Principal because he did not like the way my colleague and I were pushing him to resolve the matter. The bullying took place in the form of verbal assaults and also abuse of position as class teacher to intimidate.

Bullying in school. We often read about bullying. Almost 80% of bully cases takes place in schools according to studies. And bullying usually involves students and students. In a school it should not involve teachers. And so if bullying involves a teacher, should we then be alarmed? For me, I think it is something dead serious and should be dealt with decisiveness because teachers are supposed to be the guardians of their charges. Kids go to school not to be bullied by the very people who are supposed to watch over them.

We do read of teachers who slap or cane kids overzealously. But there is another type of bullying which is hard to prove... verbal assaults which often lead to effects which cannot be instantly gauged -  it is hard to see the effects of mental torture and emotional damage. 

In October last year, a student complained that her teacher berated her in class over a misprint in her report card. A report was made to the PK. Who was to know that a can of worms with this teacher who was actually known for her pembengis nature would be opened? The PK talked to her about the complaint and she went ballistic. A message with a threatening tone was sent by the teacher to the class monitor. And if that was not enough, when the student did not want to make any more changes to her marks, she went charging up the class... and went ballistic again. Apparently not going to see her was tantamount to something....

And then other students started spilling the beans. From cursing them to “lompat mati”, ‘mati dilanggar lori” to even invoking the name of God to fail them in their BM (SPM), so many other stories came out. Among other allegations included the mishandling of school magazine and PIBG money (which the school was well aware of), students being given really low marks for their Lisan BM (SPM), students given low marks which they claimed were not true reflection of what were supposed to be, to her being on her mobile most of the time in class to failing student because she had an issue with him. It is just incredible that a teacher can do so much (or so little) and get away with them. The list also goes on to include she making use of her class monitor to do most of her paper work. Students were generally fearful of her because she was their teacher and had to power to give them poor Kelakuan grades which would be in their Sijil Berhenti Sekolah. These allegations came out in a hastily arranged meeting between the Pengetua and the students after a parent called him and asked him if he had talked to the students regarding the complaints about the teacher. In this hastily called meeting, the Principal gave his word to them that he would do something about their complaints. Mind you all these took place over a period of 2 YEARS!!! Can you imagine that the cursing was taking place so regularly? What on earth is wrong with the teacher?

Her meanness was real and students feared her. So, if students actually air such grievances to the school admin, what should have been done? The parent who had called earlier in the morning had a meeting with the Pengetua and the rest of the admin after that hastily arranged meeting. A decision was made by the Pengetua in the presence of the rest of the admin that the students needed not see the teacher again as their SPM study break was coming. And that was supposed to be the end of the matter, or so we thought.

Yet on the same day after seeing the parent and giving the assurance that the students will be separated from the teacher bully, the Principal, sent the kids who were already in the counsellor’s room (supposedly sent there for a counselling session during that teacher’s period) back to her class. Why he did that defied logic but apparently he talked to the teacher bully and the latter assured him that she was a reformed person. All hell broke loose that day. There was a scene in the class as students turned bitter and emotional over a broken promise of not needing to see the teacher again. Relief turned into despair. There is also a recording of this incident which lasted about 45 minutes. Like chickens, the kids were sent back to be slaughtered by the Pengetua.... and they did get slaughtered...

Kids being kids.. they still tried to right things and so as things calmed somewhat, they wanted to seek a resolution. So another meeting was arranged between 2 representatives and the teacher... In our supposedly bermaaf-maafan culture, I guessed the kids were hoping that the teacher will at least say sorry. The kids did... but they walked away feeling more frustrated because the teacher did not. The conversation should make us sick cos racial and religious sentiments were used to try to gain an upper hand... (there is a recording as well)

There were a few more incidents... but the question remains. Should teachers be allowed to bully their will through... In this case, the teacher bully became emboldened over the years. Some investigative work was carried out into her past... an abusive growing-up environment, a teacher remembered after almost 2 decades later by former colleagues as being a pembengis... how did we let such people become teachers of our younger generation...

And so the two teachers kept pressuring the school... because the kids were genuinely afraid and worried that the teacher bully will take it out on their younger siblings. Why kids actually fear that, we should actually wonder. However, the pressuring resulted in the 2 teachers to be transferred. 2 teachers who have not taken any MCs for 4 years, and have contributed much to the school... If the Pengetua really cannot stand them for standing up for the kids, it is really his prerogative to do as he pleases. Yet the Pengetua kept coming up with different versions regarding their transfers. Wonder why? 

Meanwhile, the teacher bully sent out 2 WhatsApp messages (screenshots of her messages are available btw) that she applied to transfer out, and that she was maliciously framed by a teacher (there are screenshots available too where she swore by God that she did not ask the class monitor to do her register... and the kids telling the Pengetua that she did that.) One can just compare the teacher bully's whines about being framed to what the students said and how she weaved her way out of accusations in the recordings too... But Wong Ghee Hong chose to close an eye to all her deplorable actions.

If an attempt were to be made to dissect the audio records of telephone conversations, in the class and office sessions, conversations with the PPD officers, WhatsApp messages ... it should sicken us because it really points to a broken system. And the system is broken right up to the JPN. It is broken because the people entrusted to be the guardians of the institutions have failed... They failed because of incompetence, their inability to rise above sentiments and fear. We should weep for Malaysia because in schools like SMJK Keat Hwa 1 which is supposed to produce scores of students with strings of A(s) every year, such things still happen. Conforming school it is.. conforming to a broken system perpetuated by myopic leaders who see only themselves, to the point that when kids took to the social media because they were unhappy, the school clamped down on them. 

Dealing with the problem of a teacher bully. A word of caution to her would be a good start. If ignored... then a show cause letter would have sufficed. Yet, a Pengetua who cannot be a Ketua. You have a Pengetua who wants only to look good but lacks the competency and courage to do the right thing..... and his name is Wong Ghee Hong.

A few years ago, I laughed when students pointed out to the teachers that the then PK 1 (Wong Ghee Hong) was called 跟屁虫. Well, I thought all of us have our own way of doing things. Maybe that’s how he felt he should be to get up there... after all, that the system of patronage is as old as our culture. But now I understand why the kids called him that too... worms don’t have a spine. They are always wriggling their ways into and out of situation. Funny how kids are able to see clearer about a person's character than us, adults.

So, should this give me pleasure because I want to get back at him?? The answer is no. And it is for a simple reason. What future is there for our schools if we cannot take the right actions for our next generation to model on? What use is it to call him spineless when what he is basically is what we all have become? I talked to a Board Member of the school recently and I could see that he was trying so hard to believe what the Pengetua said about the transfers of the 2 teachers. What good is the Board of Directors who cannot see that the school has a Pengetua who seems to be consistent only in doing one thing... and that is LYING? Yet maybe, they want him like that too because he will be easier to control. The PIBG too.... Persatuan Ibu Bapa dan Guru... The Ibu Bapa failed to defend the teachers who defended their kids... So, who in future will speak out for their children, then?

And to make it kinda melodramatic some more.. I bumped into some of my former students today too. They told me this... “KH1 is no longer our school.” 

KH1 is no longer their school... I guess the school doesn’t need their help in the future too... We forget. For most government aided schools, public contribution is what enables the schools to have better facilities for the children. Our current students are our future contributors. But more importantly, the school is where we should inculcate good values in our future generation.

Oh ya disclaimer clause... all the allegations written in this post are gleaned from recordings done during the actual incidents. I supposed I can make them public too if there are requests... the audio recordings but they are a chore to plough through.

One more thing, I have enough MATERIALS (audio recordings, WhatsApp screenshots, letters from parents and students, written accounts, timeline, reports) for this incident which happened in SMJK Keat Hwa 1, Jln Kuala Kedah. And I even went to the JPN... still waiting after a month.... is there any hope for our educational institutions? Is there any hope for Malaysia?

I did a quick Google about teacher bullying. There is not much literature because evidence is so hard to compile. The stuff that I have, it might make a good thesis material or even case study about bullying by teachers in a Malaysian school. It will leave us wondering too why and how the admin seem so inadequate in handling a grave issue like this. It should also make us cringe at out inability to act decisively once race and religion are brought into defence. It should also make us reflect about the values that we really want to uphold and pass on to our younger generation. I trusted the system to do the right thing.. when it failed, I thought it would protect me even if I keep pushing. I am so wrong. The system is beyond repair......???? 

And the KPM is talking about ziarah cakna ... what good will that be if students can't be kept safe from the very people who are supposed to educate them.... 


.... but there will be more articles coming out...