The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The videos of physical assault and bullying from Lungtenzampa School sent shockwaves across the country. The videos were not isolated incidents, as this paper also gained access to four more videos of students fighting in four other schools. The same week also saw a female student in Thimphu die by suicide. There are also reports of teachers in schools still resorting to corporal punishment.
All of the above show that there is something deeply wrong with the current education system. These incidents are merely symptoms of a deeper malaise.
In the last few years, there has been an almost frantic focus on exams, academics, curricula, and subjects aimed solely at academic achievement. In the process, however, it is clear that other equally important aspects of education such as all-round development, nurturing good human beings, and ensuring student wellbeing and safety are being neglected.
What does not help is that, as a small society, we are already obsessed with maintaining a good image. This is even more pronounced in schools, where prestige and, at times, even revenue are at stake.
As a general rule, schools in Bhutan are highly defensive about their image, and much of what we are seeing is only the tip of the iceberg. Many issues, including serious ones, are often hushed up within schools.
A pattern common in Bhutan, and one that is also seen internationally, is that students or parents report bullying and violence, but the school minimizes the issue, leaving parents frustrated. The incident then escalates, evidence emerges in the form of videos, witnesses, or injuries, and public outrage follows.
The reputational damage caused by the perceived cover-up is often worse than the original incident.
A school should not be judged solely by whether bullying or violence occurs, as no school can fully prevent such incidents. Rather, a school should be judged by whether complaints are taken seriously, investigations are conducted fairly, victims are protected, repeat offenders are identified, and lessons are learned from the incident.
A school that openly reports and addresses bullying and violence, whether perpetrated by students or even teachers, may be far healthier than one that reports no bullying at all.
One reaction to these incidents is to place the blame squarely on parents and upbringing. This is partly true, but contrary to popular stereotypes, bullies do not primarily come from broken families or violent households. Many bullies are not social outcasts; rather, they are socially skilled individuals who use bullying to gain influence or establish dominance.
As seen in the videos, bullying is often a group behaviour in which children participate in order to fit in or avoid becoming targets themselves.
Bullying is more common in schools with weak supervision, inconsistent rules, teachers who overlook minor incidents, and environments where teachers themselves resort to violence, leading students to model their behaviour accordingly.
In any school setting, the most important role in discouraging bullying and violence must be played by the school head, namely the principal. If a principal tolerates bullying and abuse, these behaviours will inevitably become part of the school culture.
On the other hand, if school leadership adopts a zero-tolerance approach toward bullying and abuse by both students and teachers, and intervenes early, the school is likely to experience lower levels of bullying and violence.
In the recent past, the Thimphu Thromde Education Section conducted a situation analysis of bullying in Thimphu schools by interviewing students. Schools were shocked to discover the extent of bullying occurring within their institutions, including bullying by teachers. It is clear that those lessons have not been fully learned.
The Education Ministry must establish proper national policies and standards and enforce them. It must also create robust reporting and disciplinary procedures, train teachers and principals, provide effective counselling and wellbeing frameworks, monitor compliance among schools, and regularly collect data to identify emerging trends.
The Lungtenzampa incident, along with the other videos, is not simply about one or two schools. Rather, it highlights a much more systemic issue that requires urgent attention.
Beyond schools, these incidents also reveal a deeper cultural issue in Bhutan. Bhutanese institutions are generally uncomfortable with criticism.
In a hierarchical society such as Bhutan, criticism is often perceived as a challenge to authority rather than as feedback for improvement. Such a mindset leads organizations to become more concerned with protecting their image than addressing underlying problems. Indeed, much bullying itself stems from power imbalances.
Excessive hierarchy also discourages students and parents from reporting bullying. Even when incidents are reported, schools can become defensive rather than responsive.
We must stop obsessing over our image, face reality, and take corrective action. Otherwise, the rot will only continue to spread and worsen.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” – Martin Luther King, Jr
