EDITORIAL - Bullying and absenteeism

The annual school cleanup called Brigada Eskwela got underway yesterday in preparation for the opening of classes next week in public schools.

Apart from the physical preparations, authorities should also put in place measures for dealing with one of the biggest problems plaguing the education system: bullying in schools.

Bullying has been cited as one of the factors for the dismal performance of Filipino 15-year-old students in the three times that the country participated in the Program for International Student Assessment. The PISA results earned the country the tag of “bullying capital of the world.”

The Second Congressional Commission on Education also cited discussions with junior high school students, who said bullying could prompt them to skip their classes. EDCOM 2 noted that the problem is aggravated by overcrowding in classrooms.

While digital technology has facilitated bullying, traditional forms of school bullying persist including physical abuse that can escalate to violence, according to the EDCOM 2 study.

In one school in Manila’s Port Area, students reported that bullies were typically unruly and arrogant, took others’ bags and ballpens or mocked other learners over gender or mistakes in reading.

EDCOM 2 reported that there was a “troubling culture of bullying and disruption during the regular school year when classrooms are overcrowded, contributing to a lack of a sense of safety in the school grounds.”

A class size of 60 is common in the public school system. Poor ventilation aggravates the problem of overcrowding, with students and teachers alike pointing out that the enervating heat makes it difficult for them to concentrate, according to EDCOM 2.

Teachers themselves have cited the difficulty of handling large class sizes. In several schools, administrators have turned to three class shifts daily to accommodate the student population. This, however, means shorter hours in school per shift.

The public school system also suffers from an acute lack of mental health professionals who can help students deal with bullying. Producing enough mental health professionals will take time. Because of this lack, teachers typically double as mental health counselors.

Even with the lack of mental health professionals, it’s still possible to prevent bullying in schools, especially the type that involves physical acts and violence. Schools can also provide hotlines for those needing assistance along with mechanisms for anonymous reporting of bullying.

The problem has been discussed extensively and deserves decisive response. Addressing bullying must be part of any program to improve the quality of education.