Police officers from Soc Son commune (Hanoi city) conduct a campaign to raise awareness about preventing and combating school violence among students at Mai Dinh Secondary School. Photo: Ministry of Public Security.
According to Ms. Hoang Thi Thao, a Master of School Psychology working at the School Counseling Department of the Genesis Education System, to prevent and intervene promptly in school violence, including cyberbullying, schools need to build a proactive support network with coordination between teachers, the counseling department, and the students themselves.
First and foremost, homeroom teachers and subject teachers need to play a leading role as observers. Because they frequently interact with students, teachers are in a position to identify unusual changes in psychology and behavior, such as students suddenly withdrawing, becoming anxious, experiencing a decline in academic performance, or frequently becoming stressed while using electronic devices. These signs should be promptly communicated to the school counseling center for coordinated monitoring and support.
Furthermore, counseling activities need to shift from waiting for students to seek help to proactively reaching out. According to Ms. Hoang Thi Thao, regularly organized psychology, skills, and online safety classes can become an effective prevention channel. Through content guiding students on safe and civilized use of social media, counselors also have more opportunities to observe how students interact, express emotions, and identify early signs of anxiety to provide support before the problem becomes serious.
Another solution is to maintain ongoing mental health (well-being) monitoring and create channels for students to express their thoughts. Questions related to students' feelings about school safety, the online environment, or things they want to share privately can help the school identify "calls for help" that students are not yet ready to express directly. From there, support can be provided earlier, limiting the risk of long-term psychological harm.
Equip people with digital skills instead of just imposing bans.
Given that children are accessing social media at increasingly younger ages, according to psychology experts, digital skills education needs to equip children with the ability to evaluate information, control their behavior online, and know how to protect themselves.
One of the skills that needs to be developed is caution before commenting on or sharing content. Students need to understand that a negative post, image, or comment, once it appears online, can hurt others and is very difficult to control once it has been copied, screenshotted, or spread.
Therefore, teachers and parents can guide students to develop the habit of asking themselves three questions before posting or sharing content: Is this information true? Is it constructive? And could it hurt anyone?
Besides social skills, students also need guidance on how to proactively protect their mental health. When encountering harmful information or negative interactions online, they need to know how to "disconnect" by blocking accounts, leaving negative groups, limiting screen time, and returning to positive activities in real life such as sports , face-to-face interaction, or pursuing personal hobbies.
The role of parents in this process is also particularly important. According to Ms. Hoang Thi Thao, parents should spend about 10 minutes each day truly talking to and listening to their children. This time doesn't necessarily have to revolve around academics or school bullying, but more importantly, it should help parents understand what their children are thinking, what they need, and what difficulties they are facing.
Instead of imposing rigid bans, parents also need to equip themselves with the knowledge to explain to their children the dangers of the digital environment, such as excessive gaming, overuse of electronic devices, exposure to inappropriate content, or the risks of exploring sensitive issues online.
Exposing children to real-life situations through videos and images about the consequences of bullying, fraud, or unsafe internet use can also help broaden their awareness. More importantly, parents and children need clear agreements on screen time, rather than absolute bans. The rules should be transparent, age-appropriate, and mutually agreed upon.
Families and schools must act together.
When students become victims of cyberbullying or violence, the response needs to be swift but avoid leaving the child feeling isolated or under further pressure.
According to Ms. Hoang Thi Thao, families, schools, and social media platforms need to cooperate like a "three-legged stool," with each party having specific responsibilities.
First and foremost, the family should be a safe emotional haven for children. When a child shares about being bullied, parents need to remain calm, listen, and avoid judgment. Sudden bans or confiscation of devices can cause fear and discourage further sharing. In necessary cases, parents should also retain messages, screenshots, and other relevant evidence to use as a basis for protecting their child.
The school plays a coordinating and intervention role. Upon receiving information, the school needs to identify the students involved, handle the situation according to appropriate procedures, and focus on providing psychological support to affected students and helping students who have committed violations understand the consequences of their actions.
On social media platforms, users can use the report function to notify accounts, posts, or content that violate community standards. In cases involving defamation, extortion, or serious threats, families and schools should consider notifying the authorities for guidance and legal action.
For students who are victims of school violence or cyberbullying, it is crucial that they do not suffer alone.
According to psychologist Hoang Thi Thao, students need to understand that being bullied is not their fault. When feeling hurt or unsafe, they should seek help from at least one trusted adult such as their parents, homeroom teacher, psychological counselor, or other appropriate support channels.
In addition, students should proactively block bullying accounts, leave groups with negative content, and limit arguments or direct responses online. Messages, comments, images, or content of a bullying nature should also be screenshotted and saved as evidence when seeking support from family, school, or authorities.
More importantly, online insults are not a measure of a person's worth. Students need to be encouraged to return to activities that make them feel positive, such as sports, hobbies, and healthy relationships in real life.
Therefore, preventing school violence is not just about dealing with an incident after it happens. It is also about building an environment where students are listened to, equipped with skills, and know that when they face difficulties, they always have someone to support them.
Kind Heart
Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/bao-luc-hoc-duong-bai-3-can-xay-dung-mang-luoi-chu-dong-ho-tro-va-bao-ve-tre-102261002195122686.htm
