Bullying in schools

The survey by the Ministry of Education and Skills Development on student wellbeing is an important step in the right direction. Policymaking should be guided by evidence, and understanding what students are experiencing inside and outside the classroom is essential if schools are to become safer and more supportive places.

It is encouraging that the survey points to gradual improvements in school climate. If counselling services, mentor-mentee programmes and social-emotional learning are making a positive difference, then those initiatives deserve continued support. However, the survey also confirms what many parents, teachers and students already know: bullying remains a persistent problem.

Yet there is another uncomfortable truth that cannot be ignored.

Bullying in schools is not always confined to student-on-student violence. In some cases, it comes from the very adults entrusted with protecting children. The article itself reveals that one participating school found, through the anonymous responses, that some members of its own teaching staff were engaged in behaviour that could be considered bullying. That should be a wake-up call.

Future surveys must therefore go beyond asking whether students are bullied by their peers. They should explicitly ask about corporal punishment, verbal humiliation, intimidation, discrimination and other forms of abuse by teachers and school staff. Equally important, they should ask students whether such incidents are reported, how schools respond, and whether there are attempts to cover them up.

Bhutan has officially prohibited corporal punishment, and that policy deserves recognition. But a prohibition on paper is only meaningful if it is reflected in practice. Across the country, parents occasionally speak of incidents where complaints disappear behind closed doors, investigations are inadequate, or schools seek to protect their own reputation rather than establish the truth. Even isolated cases deserve scrutiny because every child has the right to safety and dignity.

Transparency is equally important. No one is asking for the identities of schools or students. However, the ministry should publish aggregated nationwide statistics on bullying, emotional wellbeing, family challenges and teacher conduct. Public confidence grows when institutions are willing to share evidence, acknowledge shortcomings and demonstrate progress.

Schools should never become places where fear is normalised or inconvenient truths are hidden. Honest surveys, transparent reporting and independent accountability are not threats to education. They are the foundation of an education system worthy of Bhutan’s children.

“It takes strength and courage to admit the truth.” — Rick Riordan