Shared responsibility, social media risks and campus safety issues emerge in wake of increased instances of bullying in schools
RENUKA RAI | Thimphu
The recent circulation of bullying-related videos from schools, including the Lungtenzampa Middle Secondary School (LMSS) incident, has triggered renewed national debate on student safety, parental responsibility, and the influence of digital platforms on young people, with Education and Skills Development Minister Yeezang De Thapa calling for a collective approach to addressing the issue at the 29th meet the press session held on 3rd July.
Speaking in the context of growing public concern, Lyonpo Yeezang De Thapa said bullying cannot be viewed as the responsibility of schools alone and must instead be understood as a shared social issue involving families, schools, and communities.
“The responsibility for shaping children’s behavior should be collectively shared by families, schools, and the wider community,” she said, stressing that placing the burden solely on the education system risks overlooking deeper social and behavioral influences.
She added that schools cannot be expected to manage behavioral challenges in isolation. “Our responsibility is to provide guidance and correction, not to transfer the burden entirely to the Ministry,” she said.
Her remarks come amid increased public attention following the circulation of multiple videos showing alleged bullying incidents in schools. The Ministry has maintained that while such cases are taken seriously, responses must priorities child protection, counselling, and rehabilitation rather than purely punitive action.
Lyonpo Yeezang De Thapa also pointed to gaps in communication within families as a key challenge in addressing bullying at an early stage. In several cases, she said, students do not report incidents to parents, delaying timely intervention.
“In this situation, the affected students did not reach out to their parents, who should normally be their first source of support. When communication at home is weak, it becomes difficult for schools to address issues on their own,” she said.
A major concern highlighted by the Minister is the growing role of social media in shaping student behavior and amplifying school incidents. She warned that digital platforms are increasingly influencing how young people seek attention and validation, sometimes leading to harmful actions being recorded and shared online.
She suggested that policymakers may need to consider stricter regulation of minors’ access to social media, including the possibility of restricting usage for children under 16, similar to approaches adopted in some other countries.
“In the reported case, the students themselves recorded and shared the video, apparently in search of attention and online engagement,” she said, adding that such behavior reflects the pressure of digital validation among adolescents.
While acknowledging that social media can play a role in awareness, she noted that the circulation of content involving minors raises serious child protection and ethical concerns, particularly when identities are exposed or incidents are widely shared without safeguards.
The Ministry has not released detailed findings of the LMSS case, citing legal protections for minors and ongoing procedures involving relevant authorities. However, it confirmed that serious cases are referred to the Royal Bhutan Police when required.
“The incident has been treated as an assault case at the school level, and it has also been referred to the Royal Bhutan Police for further investigation,” she said.
The Minister also strongly rejected calls for corporal punishment in schools, reiterating that it is neither supported by evidence nor permitted under Ministry policy.
“Physical punishment only creates fear and anxiety, and the Ministry does not support or permit its use,” she said, emphasising that discipline must instead be built on dialogue, counselling, and behavioral correction.
She explained that the Ministry follows a restorative and psychosocial approach, focusing on understanding the causes of behaviour and supporting both victims and those involved in bullying incidents. This approach, she said, is intended to prevent recurrence while also addressing emotional and psychological needs.
At the same time, Lyonpo acknowledged structural constraints within schools, including high student-to-teacher ratios, which make close supervision and early detection of behavioral issues challenging.
“There are about 1,400 students for 80 teachers. It is difficult for teachers to monitor every student closely,” she said.
Despite these limitations, she noted that schools continue to operate under the School Health and Wellbeing Strategy, which includes counselling services, peer support systems, and structured reporting channels involving teachers, counsellors, peer helpers, school management, and parents.
A key component of this framework is the Mentor–Mentee Programme, which assigns each student a trusted adult within the school to provide guidance, emotional support, and early intervention when needed.
The Minister said this system is designed to ensure that no student is left without a point of contact for help, particularly in situations where early signs of distress may otherwise go unnoticed.
She also acknowledged broader social factors influencing student behavior, including peer pressure, changing community environments, and increased exposure to digital content.
While stressing that schools remain responsible for maintaining discipline within their premises, she noted that serious cases with potential legal implications are coordinated with law enforcement agencies.
The minister clarified that bullying cannot be addressed through a single institution alone but requires coordinated action across society.
“I consider every student as my own child,” she said, underscoring the need for empathy-driven responses, stronger family engagement, and long-term preventive measures to create safer learning environments.
