A 14-year-old Malaysian student was left in tears and embarrassed after a teacher allegedly called her out during a school assembly for supposedly wearing makeup, before repeatedly rubbing her face to “check” whether she had cosmetics on.
The girl’s mother, who shared the incident on Threads, said her daughter, Afia, was called to the front during the school assembly and publicly reprimanded by the teacher.
According to the mother, the teacher repeatedly rubbed the teenager’s face, insisting that she was wearing makeup.
Student tries to prove she wasn’t wearing makeup
Feeling humiliated in front of her schoolmates and teachers, Afia reportedly used her white hijab to repeatedly wipe her face, trying to prove that she was not wearing any makeup.
Her mother explained that the teenager naturally has fair skin, with cheeks that tend to turn red easily and naturally pink lips, which may have caused the teacher to mistakenly think she was wearing cosmetics. She stressed that her daughter does not even use foundation, let alone makeup.
The teenager was reportedly crying throughout the incident and felt especially embarrassed as it happened in front of the entire school. Her siblings, who were also present at the assembly, witnessed what happened and later told their parents.
Teacher apologises after parents meet school
The following day, Afia’s parents went to the school to discuss the incident with the administration and the teacher involved.
During a follow-up meeting with the principal, discipline teacher and the teacher involved, the teacher reportedly apologised to Afia and her parents. However, Afia’s father remained unhappy with how the situation had been handled.
The family said that even if the teacher had genuinely made a mistake or was overwhelmed while carrying out her duties, they still felt that the way she treated Afia in front of the entire school was inappropriate. The parents stressed that even if a student had actually broken a school rule, publicly humiliating them was not the right way to handle the situation.
Netizens rally behind student
Afia’s mother said her daughter is generally quiet and does not usually get into trouble. Had her older siblings not witnessed the incident and told their parents about it, the family might not have known what had happened.
The mother’s post has since attracted attention online, with many netizens expressing sympathy for Afia and criticising the teacher’s alleged actions.
Some also suggested that the family consider filing a formal complaint through the Public Complaints Management System (SISPAA) if they wanted the matter to be officially investigated.
