Parents have expressed their fear and anger on social media over an alleged ‘bullying culture’ in public schools and have called for the mandatory installation of CCTV cameras.
Two distraught mothers told the GDN that their children were allegedly assaulted by fellow students on two separate occasions leaving an eight-year-old boy with a bloody nose and another 17-year-old with bruises all over this body.
Both students have expressed on-going fear for their safety and concerns about having to return to their schools.
“I was contacted by the school while at work telling me that my son had been injured,” said the Bahraini mother of one of the victims, on the condition of anonymity.
“They treated him and didn’t allow him to go back to class until the bleeding had stopped.
“My son told me that he was teased by students after being punished by the teacher. When he retaliated and pinched one of the bullies, they ganged up on him during the break and beat him up.
“All the school did was make the children sign documents that they would not repeat this behaviour.”
She believes that security cameras should be installed in classes.
In the second incident, four high school students waited for the 17-year-old student to step off a bus before jumping him and beating him up.
“My son was previously verbally abused by a student in the first week of school and when he asked him to refrain from using such language, a fight broke out,” she told the GDN on the condition of anonymity.
“They were all taken to the principal and they signed documents stating they won’t repeat the behaviour, but two days ago the bully and his cousins waited for my son to get off the bus and they ganged up on him.
“They pushed him, ripped his bag, punched him and also stepped on his neck while pushing his face into the ground.”
She stated that her son, who suffered multiple bruises and scratches all over his body, was taken to a hospital to record the injuries after which parents submitted a police report at the station.
Clinical and educational psychologist Dr Banna Buzaboon stated that bullying and physical assault among students leaves victims with negative and severe psychological consequences.
“Schools are where children are supposed to feel safe and when these incidents of physical abuse, bullying and torture occur it creates a dangerous situation with serious repercussions,” she told the GDN.
“These incidents impact the entire family of the victim and schools must work hand-in-hand with families to foster a culture of effective communication to resolve conflicts and not resort to physical violence.
“It leaves children with a distorted understanding of schools and education as well as negative impacts on their personality development and we must spare no efforts to prevent these incidents and foster a culture of security, trust and comfort.”
Dr Buzaboon stressed the importance of collaborative efforts to further enhance effective communication while refraining from offensive language and physical violence.
&uuid=(email))