Schools urged to form anti-bullying committees

MANILA, Philippines - Days after public elementary and high school students resumed classes earlier this week, the Department of Education (DepEd) has reminded schools to form committees that will protect children from bullying. 

Education Secretary Leonor Briones said the creation of the committees is part of the government’s mandate to protect children from bullying. 

“In view of the opening of the school year and with the transfer of displaced learners from Marawi, DepEd iterates its zero tolerance policy against any act of child abuse, exploitation, violence, discrimination, bullying and other forms of mistreatment, which may affect the normal development of learners,” the agency said in a statement yesterday.

“To ensure that cases and instances of abuse are closely monitored at school level, DepEd issued (an order) which requires all elementary and secondary schools – both public and private – to create their own Child Protection Committees (CPC),” it added. 

Based on the DepEd order issued in 2012, CPCs are mandated to ensure that learners follow a code of conduct in line with the schools’ localized child protection policies. 

The committees are also tasked to develop and implement a school-based referral and monitoring system of cases of all forms of abuse and bullying; and to identify, refer and report cases of child abuse, exploitation, violence, discrimination and bullying to the appropriate offices.