‘80pc college students victims’

GEORGE TOWN: Eight out of 10 students at a private college here have admitted to being a victim of cyberbullying.

A college spokesman told the New Straits Times that the students were subjected to public shaming, sexual harassment and peer pressure with some victims becoming suicidal.

The spokesman said the matter came to light when the college noticed their students becoming introvert.

“We intervened and found out that they were victims of cyberbullies.

“The cyberbullying started when the victims were still in school.”

Concurring with the spokeman, Atlas City College general manager Tariq Madarsha said the college management, too, noticed a change in its students’ behaviour.

“Our students withdrew themselves from society, became reclusive in their own imaginary cyberworld.

“At times, victims were even drawn towards the negative elements out of sheer curiosity.

“More often than not, we come across students who can’t identify what their ambitions are.”

He said cyberbullying had become worse, given the affordability of technologies today.

Tariq said this at the Psychosocial Skills Empowerment Seminar at the college here yesterday.

The event, a collaboration between Atlas City College and Penang Education Department, was aimed at empowering school and college counsellors in handling cyberbullying.

Describing cyberbullying as a silent enemy of the country’s prized assets, our students, Penang Education Department counselling assistant director Mohd Zakaria Zain said the Education Ministry was constantly monitoring the situation.