SPOTTING “"RED FLAGS' OF BULLYING

JERRY S. MANABAT

Teachers and parents will be provided necessary training to spot “red flags” of bullying in schools. The Department of Education (DepEd) said the training is part of the agency’s efforts to provide immediate interventions to Filipino learners involved in bullying incidents. The DepEd has already identified pilot areas where training for teachers and parents will be conducted. According to the agency, it wants to train teachers and parents to spot red flags so that they can tell if their children need intervention. As for the teachers, the pilot training has started only in certain areas. While the agency is reviewing mechanisms to prevent bullying in schools, it also needs to gain parental support to address the issue that has an adverse impact on the bullied students’ mental health, DepEd said. Addressing bullying can’t just be DepEd’s responsibility. There is a need to engage parents and the communities to reduce if not to eliminate bullying in schools. The DepEd is also improving its reporting system considering that most of the complaints lodged before its Learner Rights and Protection Office (LRPO) are related to bullying. The LRPO has so far resolved at least 120 cases of bullying. When it comes to such reporting system, there are two things to be considered. That’s why there is a need to make sure that the system is accessible to everyone, even to anonymous complaints because many are afraid to make a complaint.

-oOoThe author is Principal I at San Carlos San Luis National High School