Since the launch of its Anti-Bullying Reporting System last November, the Ministry of Education has received 58 reports of bullying, 48 of which have already been addressed, according to the ministry’s Chief Planning Officer, Mischka White-Griffith.
During her appearance on the Starting Point Podcast, the official said the remaining 11 reports are in the process of being addressed.
Mrs White-Grittith said the portal has provided critical insight into trends across the country, adding that it will be combined with feedback received from an ongoing national consultation with stakeholders. She said this pool of information will help to formulate the policy on anti-bullying and anti-violence in schools.
The education officer explained that the data from the portal has been instrumental in identifying patterns among boys and girls, including the regions where incidents of violence and bullying are prevalent. She said this will help build key parameters for the policy.
As for the national consultations, which started in January, she said they created a space for frank dialogue with parents, guardians, teachers and children.
“You know, there were some parents who said a New Opportunity Corps should be up and running. Others said lashes should come back to school…” White-Griffith said, noting that other guardians underscored the need for teachers to be given greater respect.
The official stressed, however, that respect for teachers is a virtue that must be reinforced in the homes.
“Parents have to help set the standard, too. If you come into school to fight the teacher and talk a certain way about the teacher in front of the child, then there is no level of respect in the classroom,” she said.
White-Griffith also noted that the consultations have provided a safe space for children to share their experiences and offer recommendations for addressing bullying. She highlighted that some students proposed restorative assignments focused on giving back to society, such as community clean-ups and working with the elderly.
She lauded the insights provided by the children and all other stakeholders, noting that the response to date indicates that Guyanese care deeply about finding a solution collectively. This, she asserted, bodes well for the successful implementation of the policy upon completion.