Vietnam seeks to address surging school violence

Hanoi [Vietnam], April 29: School violence and bullying have emerged as a prevalent problem in Vietnam as teachers report increased levels of aggression and disobedience in the classroom, Vietnam News reported on Friday.
Nearly 1,600 violent incidents, mainly fights, are reported to occur on 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.
Recent data by the Ministry of Public Security showed that more than 1,000 teenagers commit crimes monthly, and about 75 percent of violent cases are linked to students.
Le ThiThanhThuy, deputy head of the Faculty of Social Work under the Vietnam Youth Academy, associated the puberty stage with higher rates of violent behavior.
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 counselors available to provide immediate support for students who are threatened or have experienced abuse, said Le ThiThanhThuy.
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.
Source: Xinhua