CEBU, Philippines – A study conducted by the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) has showed that several public school students, including those in Cebu City, have experienced violence while in school.
With this, officials of the Department of Education (DepEd) are encouraging parents of affected students to file a formal complaint.
The study was conducted in different public schools in Cebu City, Davao City, Manila, Mountain Province, Masbate, Northern Samar, Capiz, the Camotes group of islands in Cebu and in Sultan Kudarat in Mindanao.
Some 785 students from different grade levels were interviewed by the Unicef representatives in Cebu City alone.
The result of the study showed that at least four out of 10 children in grades 1-3 and seven out of 10 in grades 4 to 6 and high school have experienced some kinds of violence in school.
Annjanette Saguisag, child protection specialist from Unicef, explained that while there are some easily recognizable forms of violence like those that result in physical injury, others may not be readily identified as such.
Saguisag said there are some verbal forms of violence against children such as cursing and shouting at a child, subjecting them to name-calling like "bobo (dumb), tanga (stupid), tamad (lazy), tarantado (good for nothing), peste (pests) and others.
Verbal abuse is the most prevalent form of violence experienced by children at all school levels, said Saguisag. It includes being shouted at and being cursed, ridiculed, teased or humiliated.
"Children experience violence both from their peers in school and from school personnel. While more forms of violence are experienced by older children from their peers, younger children more commonly experience certain physical and verbal forms of violence from adults," Saguisag said.
Although some children just accepted the physical and verbal forms of violence as part of discipline, Saguisag explained that it should be stopped.
Salustiano Jimenez, assistant superintendent of the DepEd Cebu City district, is encouraging victims of any kinds of violence or their respective parents to file formal complaint before his office.
He promises immediate action. (FREEMAN)