Study -5 out of 10 children experienced violence inside schools.

"Buboy", from this city, was almost blinded when the heel of his teacher’s stilletto was thrown at him and hit him between the eyes. With blood flowing down into his face, he went home to tell his mother what happened.

The mother went to the school to confront the teacher, but the latter said it was part of discipline. The mother, five months pregnant, got so angry that she had a miscarriage.

Last September, Martin, a grade five student from Northern Samar, was asked by his teacher to climb a coconut tree during school hours. Martin did as instructed, but while on top, he slipped and fell into the ground. The boy died.

Eula of Western Samar is a chubby, intelligent grade five student. But because she is fat, no one from her class wants to take her in during class groupings. Worse, during break time, she is called by various names not just by classmates but by other students in the campus. Others would pinch her hard for no apparent reason. She is ostracized.

From a grade of 95 percent during the first grading, her grade plunged to 75 percent. Because of this, she decided not to go to school anymore, prompting her mother to ask why. After much persuasion, she told her mother everything and showed her pinch marks. Immediately, the mother went to the school to complain but the bullies were not punished.

The three children’s cases illustrate the reality inside some Philippine schools. In a study conducted by Plan Philippines, a child-centered non-government organization, it was discovered that at least five out of 10 children in grades one to three, seven out of 10 in grades four to six and six out of 10 in high school have experienced violence inside schools.

It was also learned that children’s peers, more than the adults, are the perpetrators.

The study has been made part of Plan’s efforts to raise awareness on the issue of violence against children in line with the organization’s global campaign dubbed “Learn without Fear”, a three-year campaign that aims to prevent and end all forms of violence against children in schools: corporal punishment, bullying, sexual harassment, emotional abuse, peer-to-peer violence, and harassment on their way to and from school.

“Past incidents have taught us that school-related violence against children and youth has always been detrimental to the realization of the children’s full potential. Plan believes that Filipino children will learn better and will be more productive under a school environment free from threats to their young lives,” Michael Diamond, country director of Plan, said in a statement here.

A total of 2,442 children from 58 public schools in Masbate, Northern Samar and the Camotes Islands in Cebu participated in the study. Additionally, adult stakeholders such as parents, other community representatives, school personnel and customer services officer, including guidance counselors were also involved.

“Children generally prefer a more positive form of discipline like being talked to and corrected or counseled. Experiences of violence usually result in low self-esteem, fear, anger and helplessness among children,” said Leonila Melendrez, program unit manager of Plan.

“It is sad, however, that physical and verbal forms of violence are accepted by the children as part of discipline and are sometimes seen as appropriate,” she said. The "Learn without Fear" campaign hopes to advocate stronger involvement of the Department of Education (DepEd) in developing and standardizing child protection policies and mechanisms for schools, support the passage of laws or ordinances that would further help protect children and implement a national program for awareness raising and community education, Melendrez said.

“Violence affects millions of children across the world. It can cause irreparable damage to the child’s personality which therefore prevents the child to realize his or her full potential,” she said.

"Learn without Fear" is Plan International’s global campaign and is implemented in 66 countries including the Philippines in which the organization works. The campaign is targeted to benefit millions of school-aged children all over the world, Melendrez said.

Plan Philippines traces back to 1961 when it was invited by the former President of the United Nations General Assembly Carlos P. Romulo, to work in the country.

For over 47 years now, its work and investment have been broadly based around key issues affecting children: education, health, livelihood, governance, water and environmental sanitation, child protection and disaster risk reduction and management, Melendrez said.

Plan is present in seven of the country’s poorest provinces: Masbate, Occidental Mindoro, Eastern Samar, Western Samar, Northern Samar, South Leyte and Cebu’s Camotes Islands, and is assisting close to 500 communities nationwide, Melendrez added. (PNA)
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