Concern group wants zero bullying in 10 years

A concern group has set an ambitious target of eliminating school bullying in Hong Kong over the next decade. The Council of Early Childhood Education and Services said according to its survey of 500 primary students, parents and teachers in July, one in three pupils have been bullied at school. The group called for society-wide effort to fight the problem. “In the next decade, we want to reduce the number of bullying to zero. So this is quite a challenge for Hong Kong and we call upon everybody, Legco members, our bureau chiefs, our influencers, our mass media, to help us,” Sansan Ching, the council’s director, told a conference on Thursday. The group has launched an "anti-bullying month" during which a series of activities will be held to raise awareness, including a casual wear day, a drawing competition and family workshops. And a petition signed jointly by parents, teachers, lawyers and medical professionals submitted to the government at the end of the conference called for a legal framework to protect pupils as well as more training for teachers to identify and intervene in cases. According to guidelines issued by the Education Bureau, school are required to intervene and follow up on bullying incidents as soon as possible. Psychiatrist Doris Chan said bullying can lead to long-term psychological impact on victims, and a more positive school environment is needed. "Most of them have lower self-esteem, and they feel they are worthless. And some of them suffer from mood problems. And a minority have some other diseases, such as post-traumatic stress disorder," she said.