𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐬 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬 𝐄𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭

…𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒓𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒅𝒆𝒄𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒃𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒔 𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒎𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒆 𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒓𝒐𝒐𝒎𝒔

By Yeshi Dolma

For years, bullying was a silent shadow in school corridors, a problem too common to ignore, yet too complex to solve. Today, that shadow is lifting. Teachers, counsellors, and students across the country say bullying is finally declining, not because of punishment, but because of care, connection, and a culture of empathy reshaping classrooms.
The change began with a national movement toward wellbeing in education, centered on the Guidelines for Anti-Bullying Mechanisms in Educational Institutions, launched by Her Majesty The Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck on October 10, 2022. The guidelines form part of the broader School Health and Wellbeing Strategy, a policy framework aimed at building safe, inclusive, and compassionate learning spaces.

Two years on, officials and counsellors report real progress. “We are seeing a big change,” said Karma Wangchuk, Chief of the Career Education and Counselling Division at the Ministry of Education and Skills Development. “Compared to past years, bullying cases in our schools have gone down drastically.”

He said the drop reflects years of effort to shift school culture from discipline to wellbeing. “We owe this success to the eight health and wellbeing programs we have under the School Health and Wellbeing Strategy. Among them, the Mentor-Mentee Program and the Student Resilience Development Program have made a huge difference.”
These programs pair students with mentors, often teachers or older peers, who guide them through academic, emotional, and personal challenges. “It has created a new kind of connection,” Wangchuk said. “Students feel heard. Teachers feel trusted. It is about reminding everyone that education is not only about grades. It is also about growing into good human beings.”

Counsellors now form the backbone of this approach. Across lower, middle, and higher secondary schools, trained professionals help students navigate mental health issues, conflicts, and bullying incidents. “We also refer serious cases to the PEMA Secretariat, which provides specialized support,” Wangchuk added. “Because of these partnerships, bullying is no longer an invisible issue. It is something we face and solve together.”

At Kuzhugchen Middle Secondary School, School Counsellor Deki Choden Yezer has seen the change unfold in real time. “In my school, the most common cases are social and verbal bullying,” she said. “Students make someone feel left out, or call each other names. It might sound small, but if you keep hearing things like ‘You are so fat,’ it can really damage your self-esteem.”

To tackle this, Deki’s school adopted Project Superhero, a peer-led initiative designed to help students create a safer and kinder school environment. “We select one girl and one boy from each class, chosen by their classmates, and train them to recognize and respond to bullying,” Deki said. “They act as student superheroes, looking out for others. For victims who are scared to speak to teachers, these peer helpers make a big difference.”

Deki added that bullying patterns vary by age. “Younger students often experience social bullying such as exclusion, gossip, or isolation. Older students face more cyberbullying, which is rising fast. But because of awareness programs, students now know what bullying looks like, how to report it, and where to seek help. That is real progress.”
She believes the focus on empathy rather than punishment is key. “When students understand the impact of their actions, they change. They learn that words can heal or hurt. That is more powerful than any detention.”
A major shift in the nation’s anti-bullying strategy is its embrace of restorative justice, a method that replaces punishment with reflection and accountability.

Dema Lham, Associate Professor at the JSW School of Law, explained how it works. “In a restorative approach, bullies still face consequences, but the focus is on helping them understand the harm they caused. They meet with the person they hurt, listen to how their actions affected others, and find ways to make amends. It is about repairing relationships, not destroying them.”

She added that this method helps everyone involved, the victim, the offender, and the school community. “Instead of fear, it creates learning. It helps children develop empathy and self-awareness. They are less likely to repeat the same mistakes.”
Schools have embraced this philosophy. Instead of isolating students through suspension or expulsion, they now provide counselling, mentoring, and reflection sessions. The goal is not to punish, but to rebuild, to turn conflict into understanding.

The School Health and Wellbeing Strategy is more than a set of policies. Under it, the Anti-Bullying Awareness Program trains wellbeing focal teachers and counsellors to organize campaigns, dialogues, and peer helper initiatives. The School-Based Parenting Education Program brings parents into the conversation, helping them understand their children’s emotional needs and teaching positive ways to respond.

Schools also follow a structured four-step process, identifying vulnerable students, assessing their needs, initiating care, and involving parents. It ensures no child slips through the cracks.
According to Wangchuk, the impact is visible. “We are seeing fewer cases of bullying, violence, and absenteeism. Students are more engaged and active. It is a sign that when we take care of their wellbeing, everything else improves too.”

For years, students who faced bullying often suffered in silence, afraid of being labeled or ignored. That silence is breaking. “Now, they know who to talk to,” Deki said. “They know that their school takes it seriously. Even small things such as checking in with a student who seems quiet can make a big difference.”
Teachers are also playing a new role. Instead of just enforcing rules, they act as mentors and listeners. Many schools have introduced resilience sessions and group discussions where students talk about emotions, relationships, and respect.

“It is changing how children see one another,” said Deki. “They are learning to notice when someone is struggling and to help, not mock. That is real education.”
Officials believe the decline in bullying cases is only the beginning of a larger cultural transformation. “We have moved beyond just controlling behavior,” said Wangchuk. “We are now teaching emotional intelligence, empathy, and resilience. That is what will sustain this change.”

He envisions schools where kindness is the norm, where every student feels safe to learn and grow. “If we continue this way,” he said, “bullying will become a story of the past. Schools will be places where children feel secure, respected, and cared for.”
For Deki, the results are already visible in her school. “We still get cases, but the way students respond now is different,” she said. “They step in, they speak up, they comfort each other. They have learned that courage is not about fighting back. It is about standing up for what is right.”

The fall in bullying cases is more than a statistic. It reflects how compassion is being taught alongside academics. When students feel valued, they value others. In classrooms where taunts once echoed, laughter now feels lighter. The hallways are no longer battlegrounds but connections between students, mentors, and communities.
As one teacher put it, “We are not just teaching math and science anymore. We are teaching hearts.”
That explains why bullying is finally going down, because care, when nurtured early, grows stronger than fear.