Bullying Impacts Learning Deeply

Bullying is often taken very lightly in our Pakistani society. It creates great psychological, academic and emotional consequences. Students who become a victim of bullying suffer in silence, fail in building relationships and cannot progress academically. In extremes cases victims develop disorders like depression, anxiety, PTSD, self-harm and suicide.

As stated in UNESCO’s 2019 report on school violence and bullying, one out of three students worldwide encounters bullying in various forms—verbal, physical, or cyber. In Pakistan, research from organizations like AKU and the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics highlights escalating worries about bullying, particularly in private schools where competition and peer relationships may amplify social isolation

Bullying not only effects its victims but also the surroundings. Classmates who witness bullying also develop fears and cannot focus on their studies. They get in constant stress which does not allow them to focus on academics and constantly feel unsafe at school. This fosters a toxic culture that builds an unhealthy school environment.

Students who get bullied show a significant drop in classroom participation and academic achievement. They are continuously just thinking about their self-esteem. Their ability to concentrate gets limited and it gets very hard for them to engage in discussions and activities. Their confidence and identity gets completely shattered.

Eliminating bullying does not only mean to punish the perpetrators but to create a long-lasting impact. A culture and environment of respect and empathy should be created by conducting mental health sessions, parenting sessions and training for teachers to detect subtle signs of bullying.

When the whole society works towards a mission, it becomes impossible to not achieve it. Hence when the whole society rejects cruelty and teaches the concept empathy, the nation can actually progress.

Author : Alina Amir