The Philippines is among the countries where students feel unsafe in their own schools, a report from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) says.
“The data shows us from many international assessments that students don’t feel safe in school. That they are bullied weekly, and that many of them don’t feel safe and, therefore, could not concentrate on their studies,” EDCOM 2 executive director Karol Yee said in an interview with ANC.
The commission highlighted that they are currently working with stakeholders to revise the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013. Data showed that in-school harassment and emotional safeness is clearly connected with learner achievement.
Earlier this month, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian raised concerns on the inconsistent numbers concerning cases of bullying from the Department of Education (DepEd) with the statistics provided by the World Health Organization (WHO).
“It is disturbing to see that among many countries, we have the highest numbers in terms of bullying,” Gatchalian said during a senate committee hearing.
Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate committee on basic education, noted that 40.6 percent of children are bullied, according to WHO, while the DepEd recorded 21,521 cases of bullying from 2018 to 2019.
Kath, a student from the University of Santo Tomas (UST), identified as a victim of bullying. She said it isolated her from other people, and made her question herself.
“Bullying made me think that there was something wrong with me. It made me question my self-worth,” she said in a brief interview.
DepEd Assistant Secretary Dexter Galban said cases were reported to them via their hotline and email address: [email protected]. As of this month, 194 cases of bullying have reached the department.