Bullying And Violence Affecting School Students

Over the past years and at present, bullying and violence in schools has become a major social problem affecting school students, personal, family and social well-being. In fact, it has been overlooked as a threat to students and reduced to a belief that bullying is a developmental stage that most youth will experience then get over with it. Government officials, parents and other stakeholders in education find it hard to decipher the root cause of bullying and its occurrences. Bullying may involve direct physical actions such as hitting or shoving, verbal assaults, such as teasing, name-calling, or it may involve more indirect action such as socially isolating a child or manipulating friendship (Limber, 1996, as cited in Fried, 1997, page

Consequently, the presence of bullying at school often creates a barrier for young people to develop into well-adjusted adults. Victims are beaten up, called names, lied about and left out, with bullying taking place mainly in the classroom and school playground (Borg 1999).

A research found that children involved in bullying are more prevalent to psychological problems, the most common problem being depression. (Dake, Price, 2003). Some parents even think of bullying as being positive as it allows their children to become tougher and to be integrated within a group (Alifanovienė, Šapelytė, &Valančiūtė, 2010).

In a questionnaire, students explained that they were told by their parents and teachers that they were being punished out of love and this led many students to believe that it was right to administer corporal punishment to them. However, they stated that they cannot learn when there is a threat of whipping; they need to feel loved not threatened with violence. The use of any direct force on any child affects the child holistically. In turn it misleads the child’s mentality of when they are being punished and opens door for bullies to take advantage of such

These strategies should include: (a) active involvement by teachers and parents in prevention programs, (b) vigilance by school’s personnel for incidents of bullying, (c) the development of firm sanctions and consequences for students who engage in bullying, and (d) teaching assertiveness skills to the bullied victims (McFadden, 1986).

Certainly, school is the best place for intervention at its early stage. We were told that bullying was a significant issue at this school and in the community as well, especially among the younger children, so we taught bullying and self-esteem to all the younger classes, and mental health to the older students. In educating our young about bullying and its effect on both victim and abuser, it helps to reduce the possibility of it happening in the schools as the child develops and move into other level of