Not a harmless offence

Bullying in schools is often dismissed as “children being children”. That attitude is precisely what allows a serious problem to grow unnoticed. In Dimapur, teachers report incidents ranging from teasing, name-calling and humiliation to social exclusion and physical intimidation. What is visible, however, may represent only a fraction of the problem, because many children remain reluctant to report bullying for fear of retaliation, embarrassment or being labelled a troublemaker. Nagaland itself has already acknowledged the seriousness of the issue. In 2023, the Nagaland Board of School Education (NBSE) warned that students had sought transfers because of bullying in some schools and described bullying and victimisation as a grave concern with both short- and long-term consequences. It directed heads of institutions to maintain robust Anti-Bullying and Ragging Committees and adopt a zero-tolerance approach. Bullying is not simply an unpleasant part of growing up. It can affect a child’s confidence, emotional wellbeing, academic performance and willingness to attend school. The Central Board of Secondary Education recognises physical, verbal, social and cyber bullying as distinct forms of harmful behaviour, with consequences that can extend to serious mental-health difficulties. A child who is bullied in the classroom may now continue to be targeted through WhatsApp groups, Instagram, online gaming platforms or other social-media spaces long after the school day ends. Cyberbullying can involve abusive messages, humiliating photographs or videos, online exclusion, rumours and attacks on a child’s reputation. Unlike traditional bullying, the digital version can follow a child into the home and potentially reach an unlimited audience. CBSE has consequently emphasised the importance of internet safety and protection from cyberbullying. The answer cannot be to simply punish offenders after an incident occurs. Schools must develop systems that prevent bullying, detect it early and protect victims. Teachers need training to recognise changes in behaviour, withdrawal, fear, declining academic performance and other warning signs. Every school should have an accessible and confidential reporting mechanism, a functioning counsellor or trained welfare personnel, and clearly defined procedures for dealing with complaints.This is not an unreasonable demand. Nagaland’s School Safety and Security Guidelines already apply to government and private schools across the State, with accountability placed on school management for the safety of children. The Union Ministry of Education has likewise directed States and Union Territories to implement the national school-safety guidelines. The National Education Policy 2020 envisages schools as safe, inclusive and supportive environments for children. Its vision also recognises the importance of trained counsellors, socio-emotional learning and mechanisms for addressing bullying, discrimination and stress. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has gone further, issuing specific guidelines for preventing bullying and cyberbullying in schools. Dimapur’s schools therefore do not lack a policy framework. What is needed is implementation. Bullying should never be normalised as a rite of passage or brushed aside as harmless teasing. Where conduct involves threats, assault, harassment, sexual misconduct or other unlawful behaviour, it must be dealt with under the appropriate legal and child-protection framework. A school must be a place where children learn without fear. The real test of an institution is not merely how well its students perform academically, but whether the weakest, most vulnerable and most isolated child feels safe enough to walk through its gates each morning. Bullying is not childhood mischief. It is a warning that demands an institutional response and authorities can no longer afford to ignore it.