Every other day we wake up to horrid instances of school bullying. Be it a kindergarten child to a high school student, a school which is meant to create a safe space for young minds to flourish and bloom are plagued with varied forms of bullying.
Let's first breakdown to what exactly is bullying. The tendency to assert power is universal and is often demonstrated from childhood. Remember the case of a famous metropolitan city where a boy year old brutally trashed a little girl in his class while the teacher was away? A survey shows 1 in 3 learners is bullied in school every month globally, which is further exacerbated by use of digital devices.
To quote UNESCO, " School bullying is a damaging social process characterized by an imbalance of power, which is often manifested as unwanted interpersonal behaviour among students or school personnel which causes physical, social and psychological harm to individuals and groups, and the wider school community."
STRATEGIES TO DEAL WITH BULLYING :
Learn to respond to bullying : Hurtful comments on one's personal attributes is a often repeated yet overlooked scenario in schools. It however, impacts the self-esteem of the child. Hence, it's important to respond by using words like 'I don't like when you say that, would you please stop'.
Confide in your trusted friends and adults : It's important to create a secure environment when one feels they are pushed into a corner. At times, the child feels snitching or complaining will do more damage. Hence, it's important to talk to a trusted peer or adult who will ensure their well-being by taking the corrective measures.
Focus on things you enjoy : A child must engage in activities that boost their self-esteem and engages them thoroughly. A positive mindset is essential to create a holistic emotional and physical well-being.
Being kind to oneself and others : Kindness starts with our own selves. As then we can understand our own weaknesses and work on ourselves to cultivate a better self while also being empathetic to those in similar situations around us.
SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS BULLYING :
The school should have a zero tolerance policy whilst also creating benchmarks like vigilance for even the subtle signs of bullying , IEC campaigns on effective preventive strategies and more importantly, creating a culture of kindness and respect.
As the 'whole-education' approach has become a buzzword, collaboration with parents and child counsellors is imperative in building an anti-bullying content which should be disseminated among students by using engaging learning tools.
Parents can build a support network to cast a wider net to understand and also create a safe space to engage with each other on their child's problems.
A case study in Kolkata shows many schools engaging psychologists and behavioral counsellors to conduct a group and one on one sessions. This helps to identify and devise separate strategies to deal with the victim and the bullies. For instance, a 15 year old boy who bullied other confided in a counsellor that he wasn't shown any kindness, so why should he reciprocate.
Student welfare committes which includes the subject teachers, counsellors, head boy, head girl should be tasked to ensure a proper documentation of the cases and remedial actions taken therein.
Victims often isolate themselves from family and friends . Hence, its important to look out for such distress signs and address them immediately.
UNESCO observers the 1st Thursday of every November as International day against Violence and Bullying at school including cyber bullying. This day can be utilized by schools by using theatre plays to highlight the adversarial impact of bullying on the victim and the onlookers.
CBSE rules mandate anti-bullying committes in all schools. The lackadaisical approach towards its implementation needs to be addressed.
They say it takes a village to rear a child, so lets take a solemn pledge as a society to join hands in dealing with this complex social phenomenon which threatens the very fabric of our societal well-being. SDG 4 talks of quality education which in its broader being also includes steps to combat this menace.
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