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19 March 2024

Dubai goes to war on bullying [video]

Published
By Sneha May Francis

Dubai private schools are helping their students fight bullies. Urging kids to talk about the issue, design videos that help formulate solutions, sign documents to fight the menace or mark special days to create awareness are some of the strategies in place.

Raffles World Academy has formulated an Anti-Bullying Committee (ABC) since 2011, which supports students battling the menace to speak up, and to tell bullies they will not be tolerated. Introduced in Grades 6 and above, it also talks about the role families and friends play in helping tackle bullies. A similar concept is being introduced in Dubai British School as well. These schools also hold special conferences to highlight the issue, and its impact.

Emirates International School student Avi Kapur was encouraged to create a short video focusing on how to tackle cyber bullies effectively.



Star International Al Twar recently marked an anti-bullying day, where children were asked to dress in blue, and address their fears and to highlight the importance of being "good friends".

The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) also introduced the zero-tolerance policy for bullying for all Dubai schools.

"The parents-school contract which will be introduced in all Dubai private schools in 2015-2016 academic year has a zero-tolerance policy for bullying in all its forms," said Amal Belhasa, Chief of Compliance and Resolutions Commission of Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA).

"Instances of proven and intentional bullying may result in immediate suspension of the aggressor from the school," he said.

As per guidelines set by the KHDA, all incidents of bullying must be reported.

The official's comments came after a survey of more than 1,000 Dubai students showed that nearly 40 per cent of the respondent students had been physically attacked by their peers.

Conducted by the International Journal of Preventive Medicine Research of the American Institute of Science, the study of 1,054 students highlighted that 85 per cent of the bullying occurred in school campuses.

The children complained of being boxed, slapped and kicked by their fellow students, with some claiming they were beaten more than three times in a month.

KHDA's Belhasa explains: "Bullying is the intentional and deliberate intimidation of another person through emotional, physical, psychological and/or cyber means".