‘Out of Hand’: Growing Wave of School Bullying Sparks Civil Society Outcry and Policy Debates Amid Calls for Commission Oversight

By Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News |

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — Despite repeated assurances from the Ministry of Education and Subject Minister Sonia Parag that peer harassment is being aggressively investigated and curbed, widespread public alarm is mounting as parents, guardians, and civil society advocates warn that school bullying and physical violence appear increasingly uncontrollable within the nation’s public classrooms.

The persistent reports of classroom altercations, peer intimidation, and physical injuries have left families questioning whether state mechanisms are providing an adequate safety net for students.

Advocates warn that whether bullying manifests through physical violence, emotional torment, verbal abuse, or social media harassment, the psychological toll is eroding pupil academic focus, damaging self-confidence, and turning learning spaces into hostile environments.

The issue took center stage during recent public consultations on Constitutional Reform, where civic attendees demanded structural policy shifts, calling out the institutional void left after traditional disciplinary methods were phased out.

The Disciplinary Vacuum: What Replaces Phased-Out Punishments?

Speaking during an Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) and constitutional reform consultation session, concerned citizens voiced frustration over the absence of clear, effective disciplinary measures to manage disruptive student conduct:

• The Enforcement Void: One vocal participant pointed out that while educational reforms properly moved away from corporal punishment, authorities have failed to implement a structured, robust enforcement framework capable of deterring bullies and protecting vulnerable students.
• Beyond Verbal Warnings: The speaker argued that routine administrative warnings and temporary detentions have proven ineffective against escalating peer hostility, urging educational leaders to craft binding standard operating procedures that impose genuine accountability.

“Corporal punishment in school is something that we got rid of, and there is something we need to replace it with that would ensure that bullying [is handled] in the way it should be handled,” the participant emphasized during the open-floor session.

Constitutional Commission Urged to Step In

The critique extended directly to state constitutional watchdogs, with attendees urging independent human rights commissions to treat classroom violence as a national child-protection crisis:

• Rights of the Child Commission (RCC): Civic stakeholders appealed directly to the RCC to review grassroots reform proposals, initiate independent oversight into school environments, and ensure that institutional recommendations do not get buried in administrative red tape.
• Listening to Victims: The consultation highlighted that lasting solutions cannot rely solely on top-down administrative notices, but require educational leadership to actively listen to affected students and their families to grasp the true depth of trauma occurring on school grounds.

“It is getting seriously out of hand, and [I] would encourage my friends from the Rights of the Child Commission to take some of these proposals into consideration,” the citizen asserted.

Ministry Stance: Investigations and Policy Reforms

The civic outcry follows public remarks delivered by Minister of Education Sonia Parag, who took to social media to reassure the public that every reported altercation is subjected to formal review:

• Active Investigations: Parag stated that all reports lodged over the preceding week—whether through formal school channels or surfaced on social media—are under active investigation, reiterating directives that headteachers and educators must handle pupil grievances with impartiality and promptness.
• Inter-Agency Strategy: The Minister highlighted the multi-agency anti-bullying campaign launched in November 2025 alongside the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security and the Ministry of Home Affairs, pointing to ongoing curriculum adjustments such as the Moral and Civic Education syllabus introduced from Nursery to Grade Nine.

“I give it the seriousness it deserves because I do believe any incident regarding bullying and violence should be given the attention it deserves,” Minister Parag stressed.

Yet, as reports of campus violence continue to emerge across public schools, civic stakeholders insist that government assurances must translate into visible supervision, prompt intervention, and enforceable classroom safeguards before more children suffer physical or emotional harm.