Hanoi, April 29 (IANS) School violence and bullying have emerged as a prevalent problem in Vietnam as teachers report increased levels of aggression and disobedience in the classroom, state media reported.
Nearly 1,600 violent incidents, mainly fights, are reported to occur in school premises or outside school gates each year, and one out of 11,000 students is expelled annually for getting involved in fights, according to the Ministry of Education and Training as quoted by the Vietnam News report on Friday.
Recent data by the Ministry of Public Security showed that more than 1,000 teenagers commit crimes monthly, and nearly 75 per cent of violent cases are linked to students, Xinhua news agency reported.
Le Thi Thanh Thuy, deputy head of the Faculty of Social Work under the Vietnam Youth Academy, associated the puberty stage with higher rates of violent behaviour.
Teens deal with a lot of stress and anger, which manifests in violence when they go through puberty, the expert said.
The problem is also connected to parental pressure, said Nguyen Tung Lam, vice-president of the Vietnam Psycho-Pedagogical Association, adding that parental pressure could make children act out violence, disrespect, lack of love and compassion, and even insensitivity.
Schools should have accessible reporting systems for early intervention and counsellors available to provide immediate support for students who are threatened or have experienced abuse, said Thanh Thuy.
Lawmakers should step up efforts to ensure students’ safety at school by pushing through laws on school violence prevention and control, said Dinh Cong Sy, deputy chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee on Culture and Education.
