School Violence in the Philippines

Abstract

This paper tackles about the violence experienced by the students inside the school in the
Philippines. The importance of this paper is to provide knowledge and information about the
violence experienced by the students inside the school and its future effect on the student’s
academic performance, student’s ability to learn and the possibility of developing post-traumatic
stress disorder that may cause depression, anger and anxiety. It also tackles the importance of
Filipino psychology in lessening the cases of school violence.

Introduction

What is school violence? What are the causes of school violence? What are the effects of the
school violence? These questions are what came to a person’s mind when dealing with such
problem. Many studies although differ from one another indicates that one of the factors that
prevents the safety and acquisition of full potential of a student is school violence.

One of the causes of school violence in the Philippines is the Filipino’s value of “pakikisama”
which occur in school environment when a student in the act being united with their peers is
pressured to do the same violent behavior as their peers that causes violence against there other
classmates. It starts with “pakikisalamuha” or act of mixing in which they acquire the same
violent trait their peers possesses, then “pakikilahok” or act of joining in which they manifest the
same violent actions that their friends do such as bullying others then “pakikibagay” or act of
conformity with their peers in which they acquire the negative behavior of their friends.

Bullying is one of the major causes for violence in school. With the help of power, students go
off their limits to seek fun. This 5 minutes fun can be dangerous if done in wrong sense. Bullying
a person at a young age leaves disturbing behaviour at the end. The child is no where ready to
face the world at times. Adequate attention should be given by school authorities in such matters.
Home support should be there with bullied person. This is to ensure that he or she is not alone if
something bad has happened.

Punishing the bullying person will not help. At times if the bullying person lacks in maturity
there are chances where he can go to any extent. This happens when there is lacking of maturity
in the bullying individual. If there is no sense and presence of mind in the bullying person then
he can go in the other direction which is unthinkable. He can react in angry manner which will
result use of power for violence. It will disturb others in different manner which can be very hard
to forget mentally. He can vent out his anger in physical manner.

Discussion

The effects of school violence have been extensive. Many students stayed at home out of fear in
the late 1990s than ever before. Schools were no longer viewed as safe havens for the nation's
children. The increased presence of police, metal detectors, and intervention programs has
become daily reminders of school violence.

The thousands of students directly exposed to school violence, both the highly publicized
multiple homicides and the less publicized episodes of threats and standoffs that did not lead to
actual injury or death, can suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder. This condition can cause
depression, anger, and anxiety. Overall, the ability for youth to learn and for schools to
effectively teach is greatly affected by school violence.

One of the great challenges when it comes to school violence is defining what is “school
violence”? In people’s mind even a single event of school violence is far too many. The most
likely picture that comes to mind when talking about school violence is the school shooting
incident but what is critical to note is that not just incidents involving the firing of guns are
considered school violence many other issues such as verbal abuse, physical abuse by their
classmates and teachers are being ignored.
According to the National Criminal Justice Reference Service of the United States, school
violence is any behavior that violates a schools educational mission and vision, climate of
respect or jeopardizes the intent of the school to be free of aggression against persons or
property, drugs, weapons, disruption and disorder. The definition indicates that there are many
forms of violence inside the school and that defining school violence only in terms of shooting
means that the problem is meant to linger.

One in two school children in the Philippines are bullied or suffer from other forms of abuse
inflicted by peers or teachers, according to a study released by a child rights monitor, Plan
International. The abuse, on top of widespread poverty, might help explain the relatively high
dropout rates in primary and secondary schools in the country, said Britain-based Plan
International. The group released the results of a study conducted last year on 2,442 children in
58 public schools by the Philippine Women’s University School of Social Work. It showed that
at "least five out of 10 children in Grades 1-3, seven out of 10 in Grades 4-6 and six out of 10 in
high school have experienced some kind of violence in school”.

The Children Against Violence campaign was created to give you a voice in experiences of
abuse and violence in schools. Forms of violence that you may experience from peers or
classmates include bullying or being tough (“pagiging astig/ siga”), hurting others (“pananakit”),
and being ganged up on (“pinagkaisahan”).

Sometimes the abusive acts may be done by a teacher, like being beated up or mauled
(“pagbugbog”), being humiliated in public (“ipinahiya sa publiko”), or being shouted at and
cursed (“sinisigawan at minumura”). When you feel shame or humiliation, the act is considered
as abusive. If you have experienced violence—whether physical or inner pain—you have a right
to seek safety and change the situation.

The survey of high school students by UNICEF and Plan International (2010), found that they
think: violence is part of school life, when it happens it is their fault, violence makes them
unhappy, violence makes them dislike going to school, they prefer being talked to as a form of
reprimand.

Violence against children includes corporal punishment, bullying, sexual harassment, emotional
abuse, peer-to-peer violence, and harassment on their way to and from schools. Verbal abuse,
including ridicule, teasing, being shouted at or cursed "is the most prevalent form of violence at
all levels with male children more likely to experience physical violence,’ the study said.

The victims' peers, more than adults, are the perpetrators, it said. Most incidents go unreported
due to fear of retribution, it added. The reports also indicates that these children generally prefer
a more positive form of discipline like being talked to or corrected guided and counseled.

Another study reveals that about four in 10 Filipino schoolchildren in Grades 1 to 3, and seven
out of 10 kids both in Grades 4 to 6 and high school expressed that they have experienced some
kind of violence in school, in a 106-page study titled “Towards a Child-Friendly Education
Environment: A Baseline Study on Violence against Children in Public Schools” offers a
baseline study on violence against children in the public school settings and gives insight
and evidence-based information to aid legislators, media practitioners, and the public on the
sensitive topic of violence against children (VAC). The study was conducted among 6,931 child-
respondents in 173 public schools nationwide. The study was also part of the commemoration of
the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. UNICEF
defined violence against children as “any act that violates children’s rights, particularly their
right to physical and mental health, security and bodily integrity.”

It was shown in the study that all forms of violence are happening in schools, while acts of
violence experienced by children increase in frequency as child moves up to higher grade levels.
It said verbal abuse is the most prevalent form of violence experienced by children at all school
levels, which includes being shouted at and being cursed, ridiculed, teased, or humiliated. It also
said male children are more likely to experience physical violence than female children.
One of the goals of a child-friendly school is to ensure that children are safe and healthy. As this
report shows, many children do not feel that way. More than half of the children in the survey
had experienced some form of violence in school, according to former UNICEF
country representative Vanessa Tobin. Based on study, aside from physical violence that result in
injury, there are other violent acts such as spanking, beating, pinching or slapping, that have been
tolerated or “socialized” as acceptable ways to discipline children

Former Social Welfare and Development Secretary Dinky Soliman reiterated the need for
schools to serve as sanctuary that should provide for the integral development in a child’s
socialization process. “It is in schools where memories are made and dreams are built,” she said
however “different forms of violence have become one of the factors for dropping out. We must
work for a violent-free society for our children,” Soliman said. “They have no way to report or
ask for help. One of the most important aspects of school is to encourage children to imagine and
to dream that will shape their future; but it will not happen in an environment of fear and
violence,” she added.

Although our culture expects the family to deal with childhood problems, contemporary society
makes it difficult for parents to meet all their children's needs. The current economy, for
example, often demands that both parents work; more children are raised by single parents
including teenage mothers; and some children are subjected by their parents to neglect or
physical, sexual, and substance abuse.

Ideally, parents nurture and reinforce positive behavior. When parents fail to do so, children may
develop negative--and often violent--behavior patterns. In addition, neglectful or abusive family
environments can inhibit the development of communication skills; self-esteem can be seriously
damaged. In homes where positive behavior is not the norm, exposure to violence through
popular culture may have a more profound impact.

What all of this means is that efforts that prevent school violence must focus on a broader
definition and understanding of what constitutes school violence. Trying to prevent school
violence in terms of physical measures such as keeping guns and other weapons out of school is
not enough. Although such measures have their place, to prevent school violence from ever
occurring, a whole range of measures must be employed to address a whole range of behaviors
that may violate school’s educational mission and climate of respect. With such approach the
problem of school violence is likely less to linger.

Summary

School violence do not only pertain to a person being injured or killed inside a school premises
but it also includes behavior that violates the schools mission, verbal assault such humiliation,
being shouted at or being cursed and being mauled or beaten up by a teacher.

Understanding the causes of school violence is the best start in working to prevent it. While not
every incident of school violence can necessarily be pinpointed down to one cause, there are
many preventable factors at play that lead up to these incidents. In any traumatic incident there is
always finger pointing that goes on, but before pointing fingers and laying blame it’s important
to understand all of the potential causes involved.

School violence if not apprehended correctly may result from children developing major
depressions, anxiety, not attending classes thus affect their ability to learn and hone their skills,
develop the students full potential and the security and safety of the students is at stake.

Conclusion

I therefore conclude that, one of the causes of school violence in the Philippines find its roots on
the Filipino value of “pakikisama” therefore, student’s must be educated at an early age that
there is a limit on how a person should manifest this value that when a bad outcome that may
hurt others is at stake this value can null or avoided.

School violence such as verbal abuse or assault may lead to the students’ incapacity to learn and
develop to their potential.

Bullying is also one of the causes of school violence therefore; the students should also be
educated and taught that this act is wrong because it can be both unhealthy for the bully and the
one who is being bullied. The students should feel at ease and safe when they are in the school
premise because it is here that they will develop their skills that they can use when they are out
on their own in the society.

Parents and teachers should work cooperatively to lessen the cases of school violence, they
should have general meetings monthly or weekly if possible to plan and strategize on how to
educate the students about school violence and its effect.

Application of Filipino Psychology to prevent school violence

Teaching the core value of the Filipino psychology which is “kapwa” to students at an early age I
believe will lessen such problems at school as they will learn to behave themselves when dealing
with their co-students.

Filipino psychologist should be the one to educate the students at an early age for them to learn
that school violence may result to unhealthy behavior and may lead to psychological disorder if
not apprehended correctly and immediately. Filipino psychologist should teach them the Filipino
value of “kapwa” meaning togetherness and “pakiramdam” or shared inner perception with
others so that the students will know how to deal with other people. They should also be taught
the accommodative surface value of the Filipino which is “hiya” and “pakikipagkapwa” so that
they will be guided on how to conform to the majority.

They should be taught the value of “kagandahang-loob” so that they can develop the sense of
helping other Filipinos as a part of one Filipino humanity and also to prevent them from doing
unjust actions with their peers.
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Final Examination in Filipino Psychology

School Violence in the Philippines

Dan Robin A. Alata

BS PSYCHOLOGY 2011