An anti-bullying policy: compliant box rule vs reality check.

Reports say High Court has ordered the government to take proper steps to ensure having a complaint box in every educational institution to raise awareness among students to encourage them to submit complaints about discourteous and indecent behaviour, annoyance and intimidation. Evidently, it’s another futile attempt unless the submitting of complaints procedure doesn’t keep the anonymity of the complainant. But, I earnestly appreciate the accentuation HC gives in the face of bullying culture has fared up in recent days. It sounds good to have a complaint box in every school and college to lessen bullying but in practical, by my life experience, it is a mere showcase of redemption of liability. Why?

Writer

1.        Institutions are generally crowded places at class time and such complaint boxes are generally located at an open place. It’s easily noticeable if anyone comes to drop any complaint here which makes the complainant hesitant and reluctant to do so. This is natural that every victim will refuse point-blank to complain in front of everybody to fight shy of victim shaming and trolling. (I myself could top up the complaint box narrating inhuman behaviour with us of our college teachers unless it didn’t uncover my identity).   
2.       This is totally an unworkable scheme in the case of complaints against teachers of the same institution where the governing body of the institution receives all bullying allegations from the complaint box. So, allegations against teachers or any member of this governing body will not be taken into account and victims will unlikely get justice. It is no secret that our educational institution—especially, up to grade 12—had the cheek to violate the government standardized code of conduct with the students. While, almost in every institution, corporal punishment exists with the allowance of high brass, there is no hope for the students of getting justice and a cosy environment of schooling from the institution administration.

Well, it demands now to discuss the solution. It is no doubt that an equity committee establishment is a crying need to mitigate the current bullying culture in the education sector in which we are growing up. The following outline would be a fruitful approach to the problem.

1.       Using online platforms (Internet) or direct phone call as a medium of submitting a complaint to the authorities that gives way better privacy and anonymity to the victims. 
2.        Forming a neutral and brand new national equity panel the by Ministry of Education to receive complaints from the students. The number of equity panel members will be proportional to the number of educational institutions in the country. On average, every 10 institutions will be under the supervision of one equity panellist. Students will have an easy access to the appointed equity panellist for them. 
3.        Allegations against students will be handed over to the institution governing body by the national equity panel and allegations against teachers will be decided by the national equity panel and Ministry of Education. This will ensure to get justice for victims without any insecurity of safety and privacy.
4.       Zero tolerance in bullying culture and no second chance to the convicted persons.

We, as a nation, dream of such schooling that is joyful, equitable and respectful to the students. Hope all the stakeholders of the education sector will come forward with a great effort to solve this so inhuman and brutal bullying culture sustainably and systematically.