Wanita PN chief Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said school administrators should not fear reporting sexual assaults immediately to the authorities.

She also called for the setting up of a platform that would allow reports on rapes, bullying and sexual harassment to be made in confidence by parents or guardians of schoolchildren.

Such incidents should not be resolved internally or swept under the carpet, she said.

“We cannot allow school administrators to fear being punished for reporting (such crimes). There should be systems in place to encourage and not pressure (them to stay silent),” she said in a statement tonight.

Mas Ermieyati also said the victims must be protected and provided the necessary support to help them recover from their trauma.

Parent-teacher associations should also be encouraged to be the additional “eyes and ears” to ensure the safety of students, while an awareness campaign on consent and laws on sexual offences be rolled out to include students and teachers.

“Schools should be a safe space to learn, and not to end up as victims. We cannot compromise on the safety of students, especially girls and minors.”

Earlier today, it was reported that four Form 5 students in Alor Gajah, Melaka, were nabbed over the gang rape of a Form 3 girl in a classroom at their school.

The suspects reportedly committed the offence on the 15-year-old victim at about 2.50pm on Oct 2, while she was headed to her classroom to collect something she had left behind.

Two of the suspects reportedly watched and recorded the incident with their phones.