Kedah JPN urged to take action over berserk teacher incident

SUNGAI PETANI: The Kedah Education Department (JPN) should take immediate action over the incident of a female teacher who went berserk during a meeting at a school in Kulim in order to uphold the good name of teaching profession.
State Education, Transport and Non-Governmental Organisation Committee chairman Datuk Tajul Urus Mat Zain said although there had been educators associated with mental problems, the numbers were very small.
"The behaviour of individuals with mental illness is hard to anticipate but immediate action should be taken to prevent untoward incidents (in the future) especially when it involves students.
"In this case, if the teacher is found to have suffered from mental problem by medical specialist, then the JPN must take immediate action. (The teacher) cannot be allowed to teach until she is fully recovered," he told reporters after presenting schooling assistance at SMK Amanjaya near here today.
Tajul Urus was commenting on the incident, which was captured on video and went viral on social media, after the teacher was still allowed to teach despite having a mental problem.
The two-minute video featured the angry-looking teacher who hurled abusive words and slammed a table using her hands during a gathering between teachers and parents in a meeting room.
Tajul Urus also urged members of the public to stop circulating the recording for the sake of the teacher and her family.
"We sympathise with what happened to the teacher and her family. At the same time, we also need to uphold the good name of the teaching profession.
"As such, I urge (the public) to stop spreading the video or any negative story about the teacher. Let the JPN, District Education Office and school deal with the matter," he said.
Earlier, some 1,341 families of SMK Amanjaya students received the aid worth RM100 each at the ceremony. — Bernama