Two recent acts of violence in Malaysian schools have shaken the nation. In one case, a 15-year-old girl was gang raped by two older schoolmates. In another, a 14-year-old boy fatally stabbed a female classmate at a school in Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya. These harrowing events have sparked urgent conversations about the role of schools, families, and broader systems in protecting children. First, we examine the public response and policy implications with Srividhya Ganapathy. Then, we get into what’s happening within families and what children are carrying with them to schools, with a child psychologist.

Image credit: Shutterstock