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Fear of bullying is stopping some children getting an education, a new report by the Children's Commissioner says.
In the report, to be officially released on Monday at a school violence summit in Wellington, Commissioner Cindy Kiro says bullying was a problem in all schools.
The report is prompted by "indications from all quarters" that school violence was affecting the welfare of a many students, she says.
"Calls to my office, our engagement with children and young people, the Office's Young People's Reference Group and media coverage of some severe incidents indicated it was timely to do an independent inquiry into peer bullying, violence and abuse," she says.
The report recommends changes to the school system and offers a "comprehensive guide to understanding and successfully dealing with bullying and violence in schools", she says.
Kiro says the report reveals the impact of not addressing bullying was far reaching and linked to future difficulties in life. In the short-term, studies showed victims of bullying suffered higher than normal absenteeism and early school dropout rates.
"Students cannot learn effectively if they are physically or verbally abused, victims of violence or bullying, or if their school is unsafe," she says.
Bullying also extended beyond the school gate via the internet and cellphones, she says.
"The extensive reach of these forms of bullying often mean the victim gets no respite and the bullying is not restricted to time at school but is ongoing."
Bullying is not gender specific, as girls were just as likely to fight as boys, but the effect of appearance-related teasing was often more enduring in girls, Kiro says.
"This report is not to blame and shame. While there are indications that some schools are not dealing with this problem appropriately, more schools than not are committed to providing a safe environment and have clear whole school policies and procedures to ensure the issue of bullying is addressed," she says.
But schools could not afford to be complacent as the environment changed from year to year.
"This inquiry is focused on the way forward, with solutions and equipping teachers and schools with information on how to deal with bullying when it happens."
The report's key finding is that schools that worked to improve their social environment, rather than focusing on the bullies, were the most effective.
Recommendations to schools included student and teacher training on responding to violence or bullying, setting up a safe and confidential reporting system and communicating with parents, police and other agencies.
It also suggests schools made lunch breaks shorter and stagger bell times for different classes to limit the number of children unsupervised at any one time.
The inquiry warns that victims could sue teachers and schools that were slack in dealing with bullying.
"We stress that aggressive, violent and bullying antisocial behaviour will only be effectively reduced when the intervention involves an ongoing commitment at multiple levels," Kiro says.
"New Zealanders have a high tolerance for violence and while schools cannot be responsible for the ills of society, schools can make a difference in how violence is dealt with."
Education Minister Anne Tolley would not say whether the recommendations would promote change.
Tolley says there was no easy solution to bullying but she read the report "with interest".
Do you think bullying in New Zealand is as bad as the report makes it out to be? Have your say on our message board below:
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Post new commentsleek said on 2009-04-20 @ 12:52 NZDT: Report abusive post
Bullying in schools can only be effectively addressed by implementing the whole school approach in all New Zealand schools. The British Sheffield project found this approach worked in schools that applied it thoroughly. Violence not dealt with at school escalates into violence in the community. Between the ages of 5 and 18 schools and teachers have a huge influence on our children, so what better place to change the patterns of behaviour?
Topnotch said on 2009-03-17 @ 00:18 NZDT: Report abusive post
I believe it is not the school's fault. We need to be teaching kids parenting skills as it is obvious that the present "parents" are largely to blame. The government needs to take a very strong stand on teaching people to respect the law AND other citizens. We all have rights but that in itself means we have obligations and responsibilities to our fellow man. Make parents responible for their kids till they are out working, then the wayward ones will be under control or the parents will pay.
lolotam said on 2009-03-16 @ 22:59 NZDT: Report abusive post
I am a mother of 7 and we have just moved here 8 months ago from the USA (las vegas). I have 3 kids in rototuna primary and for the first 4 weeks of school my 7year old son was coming home every day crying or upset because he was physically assaulted on the playground. All of my kids said that every time it happens they would go and tell the duty teacher and then that teacher would send them to their room teacher and so forth. We have never had this problem before and it is heartbreaking.