RKS PTA, stakeholders, discuss ways to tackle bullying problem

The escalating number of bullying cases at Ratu Kadavulevu School (RKS) has alerted its Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) to take necessary action and map out a way forward to address the issue. Yesterday, association members and stakeholders met to discuss the way forward in addressing the issue of bullying.

PTA president Joseva Korovulavula said bullying at RKS has now been done in a professional manner.

“Bullying is on another level now. What we have found out is that it is the Years 12 and 13 that are sending the Year 11 students to bully the junior students,” he said. “Students who are being expelled or suspended, we think they are the ones bullying other students, but what we have found out is there is a perpetrator who is assigning them to bully other students, who are in junior forms. This is the level of bullying at the school.” He said the main focus now was how they could minimise bullying in the school.

“Today we brought in stakeholders, we had some law enforcers, court judges, and psychologists, and there is a pastor and all of us we put in ideas,” he said.

“After this we will take it to the school administration with our ideas to the school principal to tell him what we have come up with. This is like a think tank where we brainstorm ideas.

“It has really been a concern and that is why we are here.”

He added that parents were touching base on the issue during discussions.

“We have put our students in school with hopes they will be safe there, but when these issues keep arising we thought that we have a part to play in eradicating the issue,” he said.

“After this we will sit with the principal and all the teachers and we hope to implement it in the school.

“The first step is we need to begin training and visitations every week.

“They are children and we need to keep them counselled every now and again even if it means we do it 50 times we have to keep talking to them.”

Bullying is on another level now. What we have found out is that it is the Years 12 and 13 that are sending the Year 11 students to bully the junior students. Joseva Korovulavula PTA President