A ceremony to observe International Day against Violence and Bullying at School, including Cyberbullying, was organized online yesterday.

At the ceremony, Union Minister for Education Dr Myo Thein Gyi said that the UNESCO Member States has declared the first Thursday of November, the International Day against Violence and Bullying at School Including Cyberbullying, recognizing that school-related violence in all its forms is an infringement of children and adolescents’ rights to education and health and well-being.

He added that almost one in three students has been bullied by their peers at school at least once in the last month, and a similar proportion was affected by physical violence. School violence and bullying are mostly perpetrated by peers but, in some cases, by teachers and other school staff. Corporal punishment is still allowed in schools in 67 countries.

The celebration of 2020 International Day against Violence and Bullying at School Including Cyberbullying was held under the theme “Together against Bullying in school”.

There are significant negative effects of the violence, including on academic achievement, mental health, and quality of life in general. Children who are frequently bullied are nearly three times more likely to feel like an outsider at school and more than twice as likely to miss school as those who are not frequently bullied. They have worse educational outcomes than their peers and are also more likely to leave formal education after finishing secondary school, he added.

Union Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Dr Win Myat Aye said the observance of International Day against Violence and Bullying at School Including Cyberbullying begun in 2019, and this year was the second celebration.

He stressed the importance of cooperation from departments, students, teachers, parents and the public on the school violence and bullying problems.

The ministry is working in harmony on childhood care and development, and enacted Early Childhood Care and Development Law in 2018 and Child Rights Law in July 2019, he said.

He urged parents, guardians, teachers, private businesspersons and the public to try their best for the development of the children who are the future of the nation.

UNESCO representative Ms Dolly Shein also detailed about violence and bullying at school including cyberbullying.

MNA (Translated by Kyaw Zin Tun)

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