MOE TAKES “SERIOUS VIEW OF ANY FORM OF BULLYING”
In response to TODAY’s queries, the Ministry of Training (MOE) stated that the variety of reported cyberbullying incidents has “remained low and stable over the past five years”. It didn’t give any figures.
The ministry stated it “takes a serious view of any form of bullying, including cyberbullying”, and that schools have in place various measures to address this issue.
For instance, there’s the Character and Citizenship Training (CCE) curriculum, which college students undergo from Major 1.
“Given the elevated use of digital gadgets immediately, there’s better emphasis on cyberwellness within the CCE curriculum, the place college students study to be discerning, protected, and accountable customers of know-how,” stated MOE.
“Students are also taught how to develop a positive online presence, and to be a positive peer influence.”
Equally, polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Training had strengthened their cyberwellness curricular in 2021 to reinforce educating of digital well-being and on-line ethics.
MOE added that college students are additionally taught the right way to report cyberbullying and different critical incidents utilizing protected channels. Colleges have college students appointed as peer assist leaders to encourage protected and constructive areas each on-line and offline, and to additionally alert their lecturers if needed.
When faculties obtain a report of cyberbullying, skilled workers will “promptly investigate the allegations and provide counselling support where needed”, the ministry stated.
Colleges additionally mete out applicable disciplinary actions towards perpetrators, and will make referrals to social and neighborhood businesses for specialised assist if required.
“Our schools take an educative and restorative approach to help students involved in bullying cases to learn from the incident and reconcile with each other,” said MOE. “Beyond this, schools also work closely with parents of perpetrators to help them understand the impact of their actions and take responsibility to restore the relationships with whom they have hurt.”
VICTIMS HIDE CYBERBULLYING FROM PARENTS, TEACHERS
In 2020, Mr Ryan Ong, 24, based The Catalyst Collective, a psychological well being assist group which connects individuals by means of board video games and role-playing sport Dungeons and Dragons. He was a sufferer of bullying himself throughout secondary college.
In late October final yr, he gave a presentation at a college in Malaysia on how he overcame bullying. Whereas making ready for it, he logged into his Fb account to search for the hurtful remarks left by his then-secondary schoolmates.
Studying these remarks once more made him flinch. “It may have been more than 10 years, but it was a traumatic experience,” stated Mr Ong,
“I don’t remember if the ostracising in class or the cyberbullying started first, but nonetheless, my depression and anxiety worsened during this period, though I was not formally diagnosed then, and I developed post-traumatic stress disorder.”
He was known as attention-seeking when his classmates learnt that he was suicidal, with feedback asking him to finish his life, amongst different issues. His grades worsened, on account of the bullying and isolation.
With nobody to assist him, Mr Ong turned to video video games as an escape, and it was there he discovered a bunch of pals who supported him.
“I skipped college loads, as my lecturers did nothing and my psychological well being worsened. The college recommended my mother and father take management of my gadgets (to enhance my grades), and my mother and father thought it was the fitting factor to do. Nevertheless, that solely alienated me additional,” he stated, including that his mother and father didn’t acknowledge the bullying that passed off.
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