The blame for incidences of bullying, ragging and gangsterism in our schools should not rest on the headmasters alone. Running a school is a collective effort - the headmaster, his assistants, teachers, the school board, parents and the community at large must work together. While the headmaster provides the leadership, the rest too, have certain role to play in the educational processes of the children.

The sad thing about our education system is the public and parents tend to take a 'tak ada apa' attitude towards the education of our children. They feel that education is the work of the headmasters and teachers concern, and they must not be involved in such operation.

For example, when the schools conduct their annual PTA meetings, one could count the number of parents attending such a meeting. I remember on one occasion during a PTA meeting at my son's school, only five parents attended.

For the parents and the public, results matter most. If the school results drop, than the teachers and headmasters are to be blamed. The Education Department sometimes feel the same. The annual announcement by the minister on schools with the best results and the best students etc, only goes to prove that what matters most for the Education Ministry are the schools which produce excellent academic performance.

While admission to residential schools is based on meritocracy but how far this is being practised? The sad thing is that about 20 percent to 30 percent of students admitted to residential schools enter by the back door, just because they are the children of some datuk or politician or corporate figure or some elite group.

In the case of MCKK, some say that there exists a quota system where certain percentage of places are allocated to certain groups of the society. No wonder the discipline in MCKK and some residential schools has deteriorated severely. Clearly, the children of these elite groups are "untouchable" by the school authorities and if they did, the teachers and headmaster would be on the transfer list.

While Bakri Musa's assessment of the role of headmasters in our schools system may resonate in some areas, it horrendous for him to suggest that the headmaster and their assistants failed in their duty in checking bullying, and gangsterism in these institutions.

Unless and until the admission policy can be revamp and the school authorities given full power to initiate disciplinary action without fear or favour from the so-called cronies or the ministry itself, there will very little hope for changes. These residential schools must be open only to the potentially best students not to the children of cronies or political figures.

Education must not be influence by politics. But, in Malaysia politics and education is like "isi dengan kuku", and it is not surprising that the blame will always fall on the headmasters and teachers.

Please don't blame the headmasters and teachers. The parents, the public, the community and the Education Department must also share the blame.