A shocking video has been circulating online and it shows a Singapore school boy beaten up by his secondary school classmates.
The video was apparently filmed at Westwood Secondary School on Feb 9, and involved Secondary 3 students.
Singapore school boy beaten up
In the video, students are heard making a plan to "teach their classmate a lesson before the teacher comes back."
A boy is seen sitting quietly and playing on his mobile phone.
What follows next is shocking.
Another boy flings a chair at him, then proceeds to slap and rain blows on him. He shoves the boy on to the floor and proceeds to kick and punch him some more.
Is this what goes on in Singapore secondary schools, we wonder?
Here is the video of the incident:
Secondary school responds
Meanwhile, the school principal, Mr.Abdul Harris Sumardi, has clarified that he is aware of the incident and has taken appropriate disciplinary action against the students involved.
Apparently, all 6 students, including the victim, were counselled.
He told The Straits Times, "We are also working with their parents to help the students learn from the incident."
This is hardly the first such case of bullying in schools. Last year, a video of three boys fighting in a classroom at St Hilda’s Secondary School had gone viral online.
According to a recent report, Singapore has the third highest rate of bullying globally!
Bully-proofing our children
How can we make sure that our children are adequately bully-proofed? Here are some tips, and signs to note:
- Be compassionate and respectful towards your children: Refrain from using power or force to control your kids. Raise them in loving, respectful relationships instead.
If you spank or cane your child, they are more likely to use violence to solve their own problems. Research has shown that physically disciplining a child is associated with bullying behaviors.
- Talk and stay connected with your kids: Maintain a close, friendly relationship with your child. Kids are often ashamed that they’re being bullied, so they worry about telling their parents.
Talk to your kid daily about their day. If your relationship is close, your child will feel comfortable opening up to you about problems they are facing in school, including bullying.
- Encourage them to make friends: It is important to teach your child to develop social skills and make good friends.
Bullies rarely target children in groups. They tend to isolate loners.
- Instill confidence and self esteem: Bullies target children they perceive to be weak. It is important to build your child’s self-esteem from a young age with positive reinforcement.
At the same time, as a parent it is also necessary to walk the talk, and model confident behaviour. Remember, your child is learning from watching you.
- Look out for warning signs: If your child suddenly goes from being a happy and open child to being introverted or silent, talk to her and find out what is wrong.
If your child refuses to go to school, this is a clear indicator that something is wrong and further investigation needs to be done. Don’t be hesitant to discuss the issue with her teacher.
- Teach your children to stand up for themselves: Bullying usually starts with verbal abuse. Teach your child to stand up for themselves in these instances.
Kids should also know how to avoid bullies. They usually target victims where adults are not present. Therefore, if your kid is being bullied, they should avoid unsupervised areas in the school.
Teach your child that there is no shame is talking to an adult or asking for help.
(Source: The Straits Times)