Kuala Lampur, Oct. 18 -- Malaysia's schools have been shaken in recent months by a series of disturbing incidents that go far beyond the usual headlines of exam leaks or administrative mismanagement.

A 16-year-old girl was stabbed to death in her school. Another case in Melaka saw students expelled after a gang rape incident ignited nationwide outrage.

Then came the mysterious death of Zara Qairina, a secondary school student whose fall from a dormitory window spurred suspicion of bullying and cover-ups.

Each case has prompted shock, moral condemnation, and a rush of hasty fixes from the government.

But these incidents are not isolated tragedies, they are windows into a deeper institutional malaise.

Beneath the surface of uniforms an...