The effects of Bullying on Education

By Rahemeen Yusuf

Bullying is a major issue that is experienced in various schools around the world. It is defined as repeated acts of aggression by someone that can be very damaging for the victim, both psychologically and physically. It is one of the most evident and troubling issues that children face in an Education system. However, teachers and officials tend to ignore the impact bullying has on Education. There can be various reasons for bullying which include race, religion, social class, appearance and gender. Most of the time it goes unnoticed by teachers and even if it is noticed, it is either ignored or not much is done to stop it.

Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi is a strong advocate for the Right to Education campaign which highlights that every child between the ages of 5-16 years should has access to free Education (Article 25-A of the Constitution of Pakistan). In light of the Right to Education campaign, where on one hand the campaign focuses on advocating for free Education, on the other hand, ensuring safe Education environment is also consequential. Under the Article 25-A of the Constitution of Pakistan, the two most important terms used are compulsory and free Education. This means that it’s the responsibility of the State to ensure that every child needs to be educated irrespective of whether the child wants to get educated or not. Here, bullying can play a very important role in limiting the child’s access to proper Education. When children are bullied at school they feel unsafe and are not able to concentrate; this affects their educational environment and, hence, performance, resulting in recurring school absenteeism.

Therefore, it is very important that in the Right to Education campaign, where children have access to free Education, they should also be provided with safe school environments. Teachers and administrators should monitor the classroom environment and, in case if they notice bullying, immediate interventions must be undertaken to prevent it. They should also promote a culture of inclusion and respect within the students and through story-telling and group activities educate the children on the harmful effects of bullying. Proper rules should be made and their implementation must be ensured. Once bullying is stopped, a safe and healthy school environment can be provided to the students which can enhance their educational achievements.