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The recent bullying incident at Lungtenzampa Middle Secondary School has raised concerns over student safety and wellbeing in schools.
This has brought renewed attention to the Situational Analysis Survey conducted in 2024 across schools in Thimphu by the Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD) in collaboration with Thimphu Thromde, which was designed to assess student well-being and identify emerging challenges affecting their mental health and safety.
Initiated mainly in response to growing concerns over student mental health, including cases of suicide among students, the survey seeks to inform early interventions and support systems aimed at creating safer and more supportive learning environments across Thimphu Thromde schools.
Early identification of hidden issues
Following the recent incident, schools across Thimphu said the Situational Analysis Survey has strengthened their ability to identify and support students facing challenges both at home and in school.
This paper reached out to several schools under Thimphu Thromde to understand the impact of the survey and whether similar incidents had been observed in their institutions.
School officials said they have not encountered cases involving the level of physical assault seen in the recently circulated video.
However, they noted that the survey has become an important mechanism for detecting concerns that might otherwise remain hidden.
Through its findings, schools are able to identify students experiencing difficulties related to family circumstances, emotional wellbeing, peer relationships, academic stress, and other challenges.
School officials said the information is handled confidentially, with counsellors and relevant personnel providing early interventions and support to students identified as being at risk.
Moreover, the survey enables schools to respond proactively rather than waiting for problems to escalate into serious incidents.
According to schools, the initiative has also improved communication between students, counsellors, teachers, and parents, allowing for timely support and referrals when necessary.
While the recent incident has raised concerns about student safety and wellbeing, officials say the survey could play a significant preventive role by helping schools understand early warning signs of distress that may otherwise go unreported.
Bullying exists, but early response mechanisms are in place
A primary school in Thimphu said that while instances of minor bullying exist among students, these have not escalated into physical assault.
The school’s principal noted that such cases are addressed internally through counselling and disciplinary measures.
The principal of the school said that due to such instances, not only in response to recent viral videos, the school conducts regular anti-bullying programs every Tuesday.
In addition, students also receive a 40-minute anti-bullying or prevention sessions at the end of each school day after classes conclude.
The principal said, “Disciplinary matters are handled in accordance with the Ministry of Education’s policy, depending on the severity of each case.”
The principal also said that compared to 2024, the Situational Analysis Survey has been highly effective in 2025, helping reduce student-related issues by around 70 percent.
Reaching younger students and confidential reporting
Since the survey requires students to complete questionnaires, the principal of the above mentioned school said it is not applicable in the same way for younger classes such as Class PP, I, II, and III, as they are too young to respond independently.
To address this, the school uses a program called “Know Your Child”, through which class teachers observe and assess students daily. This helps teachers understand students’ conditions at home, in school, and among peers, including possible exposure to bullying, neglect, or difficulties in care.
The principal added that Class VI students previously participated in the survey, but from this year, it will be extended to Classes IV and V as well.
This expansion aims to better understand issues that students may not openly share with parents, guardians, or teachers.
He said, “The survey is particularly important because it allows students to express concerns confidentially, with only counsellors accessing responses. These are then used strictly for early intervention and support,” he added.
Schools underline preventive role of the survey
Similarly, one of the middle secondary schools said that while no cases of bullying have been reported, the school has put in place preventive systems such as anti-bullying programs and mentorship sessions to strengthen student guidance.
Changangkha Middle Secondary School’s Principal, Nyendo, described the Situational Analysis Survey as “evidence-based at school level”, noting that it supports targeted interventions and strengthens counselling and mentorship systems.
He added that the survey also plays a preventive role by helping identify underlying factors contributing to aggression or victimisation, allowing schools to intervene before situations escalate.
The school also maintains welfare systems, SOP guidelines, and mentor-mentee sessions.
The principal said disciplinary action is taken in accordance with school policy depending on the severity of the offence.
He added that in addition to the survey, continued sensitisation programs have contributed to the absence of severe bullying cases in the school.
Zero tolerance for severe cases
A higher secondary school principal said bullying is a universal issue across schools, but stressed the importance of strict and consistent measures to minimise such incidents.
He shared that his school, with around 1,700 students, forwards severe bullying cases directly to the police.
The principal also said the Situational Analysis Survey helps the school remain alert to students’ conditions at home, in school, and among peers.
Through this, counsellors are able to identify students being targeted or facing difficulties at home, enabling timely intervention.
He further shared an instance involving a student stabbing case, which occurred outside school premises and was referred directly to the police.
The students involved were later referred to the PEMA Secretariat for mental health support.
Apart from this, he said no severe bullying cases have been reported in the school, attributing this to ongoing sensitisation programs and preventive systems already in place.
While schools under Thimphu Thromde say that mechanisms such as the Situational Analysis Survey, counselling services, and awareness programs are helping in early identification of student issues, officials emphasised the importance of accurate participation in the survey for it to be effective.
They said that students need to respond honestly and accurately while filling out the survey so that early interventions can be provided in a timely manner, before issues escalate into more serious concerns.
This, they said, is crucial for strengthening the effectiveness of early detection systems in schools.
The paper also requested this year’s Situational Analysis Survey report from Thimphu Thromde. However, officials said that the report is not yet ready. When the paper requested last year’s report, it was informed that the report could not be shared, although no reason was provided.
