Education director-general Azam Ahmad said this is among several reforms being introduced by the education ministry to address issues such as bullying, sexual harassment and security in schools.

He said the new guidelines are currently being finalised following a review of existing school standard operating procedures, some of which are deemed outdated.

Azam said the review is being carried out by the ministry’s special committee on school safety, with input from external agencies, including Unicef and the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia.

“Various ministries and agencies such as the health ministry, social welfare department and police are also involved. This will help teachers handle mental health issues or trauma and boost student safety.

“Previously, a school accepting a student would have no background information, even in cases where there is an existing mental health or disciplinary issue,” Utusan Malaysia reported him as saying.

Azam said his ministry is also conducting audits on school safety and teacher presence through its inspectorate and quality assurance division, following instructions from education minister Fadhlina Sidek.

These audits will assess teachers’ attendance, workload and well-being, as well as school safety conditions during the day and night.