Moe Restores Student Discipline System Eases Teacher Workload

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Fadhlina Sidek. - NSTP FILE PICKUALA LUMPUR: The Education Ministry has announced that the Student Discipline System (SSDM) will revert to its original purpose — recording only student misconduct and disciplinary actions.
The move removes the previous requirement for teachers to log students' good behaviour, a practice that had significantly increased their workload.
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the decision was part of the ministry's efforts to reduce teachers' administrative burden, allowing them to focus on teaching and preparing for the new primary and secondary school curricula in 2026 and 2027.
"I am pleased to announce that SSDM will return to its original function: recording only disciplinary cases.
"Teachers will no longer need to log minor issues, such as students forgetting their exercise books, because, generally, our students behave well and make us proud," she said during the opening of the Konvensyen Suara Guru Malaysia at the Faculty of Built Environment Auditorium, Universiti Malaya.
Fadhlina added that the system would soon be finalised to focus on students who genuinely require intervention from the school, health authorities, or social services.
"This aligns with our goal of making the education system more centred on the well-being of both students and teachers."
The minister also stressed that SSDM should not become a source of competition or additional stress for teachers.
"The improvements will ensure the system genuinely helps lighten teachers' workload."
Fadhlina also expressed her appreciation for the appointment of over 10,000 new teachers nationwide, including 500 guidance and counselling teachers.
She said that 81 per cent of these appointments addressed requests for transfers due to family or commuting considerations.
She said that student character development was not the sole responsibility of Islamic or Moral Education teachers — it is a shared responsibility across all subjects.
"Humanistic education is about shaping students' character as they understand and apply the knowledge taught.
"Every subject contributes: Science teachers nurture character through science lessons, while History teachers do so through history." - NST

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