ASEAN-Republic of Korea Unite Aganist School Bullying

ASEAN-Republic of Korea Unite Aganist School Bullying

(An effort to strengthen commitment ROK-ASEAN against bullying)

By: Masbahur Roziqi*

Bullying still became an issue which never be ended. Many kids, adolescents be victims and perpetrator. All of them suffer with their way. Not only victims, but also perpetrator. They cannot live in harmony. Always scary and worry about everything. Especially worry for their action and anxiety. For victims, they afraid to bully. But for perpetrator, they feel afraid when their action can be known by adults. Specially their beloved person, like family.

As big country, Republic of Korea (ROK) surely has same challenge for their young generation. Specially for this bullying issue. Many Korean drama, as daily life miniature in Korea, show various film about bullying. And almost all of them end sad. The students who became victims always suffer. He or she always be insulted by her/his friends. Finally, his or her heart routinely contain suffering, sadness, and depresion. And when he or she grown up, soon he/she will be a one of bully.

Republic of Korea has long history for bullying. Like ASEAN, ROK ever be bullied by foreign country. ASEAN has same memory and experience. Indonesia by dutch, ROK by Japan, Vietnam by United States of America and France. There was nothing positif effect for ASEAN and ROK. Otherwise, that oppresor country make develop country like us be suffered and starved. They stole our food, natural resources, until take away our beloved family. Thats old bullying so make ROK-ASEAN fell into darkness at that time.

Now the bullying has new type. And young generation unfortunately be a part of this. They looks like imitate what old oppresor do to ROK and ASEAN country. What is that? Steal happy from innocent people. They took violently happines from bully victims. Became bully perpetrator, they find pride. Can show other friends that they are the most powerful. Without think the victims feeling. This bullying can change into various type. From physically, financial, social, and verbal. Ones perpetrator goal: hurt physic and heart. They create wound and big hole on their victim heart.

Why they did that? Why this bullying be a spiral? Cannot stop immediately and potentially be threat for other student? Occur until unknown time, bullying be a mistery. Eventhough, perpetrator and victims is a child or adolescents.

An answer can be one of reason: like ROK, for example Indonesia and Myanmar, the country which ever ruled by military regime, must have impact. Such Indonesia under rule by the dictator Soeharto make perception that violence is only way to make young generation obey. When adults like teacher or parents see their child disobey their order, hand or kick ready to act. It is same as soldier or military training. So when kids look this, they learn and practice it. They look for weak people and bully them. Make the weak people obey them or hurted.

In Myanmar, we now can see many Rohingya people bullied by military and militia. They dont stop hurt Rohingya and verbally bully them. Military use weapon and insult Rohingya. The goal is bullying Rohingya so they can flee and not comeback to Myanmar. It is sad, but thats real. You can read at United Nations Human Right High Commision Report. It perhaps can make Myanmar generation learn military act. In future, they will hate Rohingya, and use military action to strengthen their hatred. In school, when they meet Rohingnya kids or students, it almost sure that bullying will occur in that school.

Unfortunately when we read ASEAN ROK Plant to Implement The Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership For Peace and Prosperity (2016-2020), especially on education, there is nothing about prevention bullying agenda by specific. Theme which is near with bullying is poin 3.4.5. “Promote greater exchange of students and teachers to facilitate the sharing of experiences for further cross cultural understanding between ASEAN and ROK. We can assume this activity give opportunity to students and teachers learn ROK culture. Including about bullying. But that is assumption, not real agenda. It can happen or not. Depend on ROK and ASEAN government policy.

Some evidence show that in daily life, adolescence in ROK and some other ASEAN countries fear bullying. Many kids reluctant go to school because of bullying. They dont feel safe. Face, sound, and also perpetrator shadow enough make them scare and runaway.

In this millenial era, cyberbullying be a real monster for bullying victims. Cyberbullying is a various type of bullying. This bullying can kill people silently. And involve many people as perpetrator. For example, Amanda Todd, girl who dead because of cyberbullying. She commit suicide after gain bullying several times.

Based on research, Asia include as country which vulnerable be online bullying target. Microsof Corporation conducted a worldwide study on the phenomenon of online bullying with 7,644 youth aged eight to seventeen years in twenty five countries (approximately 300 respondents per country), including six Asian Nations. Of the 25 countries surveyed in the Microsoft study, the three countries in which participants reported the highest rates of online bullying were China (70 percent), Singapore (58 percent), and India (53 percent). Other Asian countries in the study reported the following percentages of online bullying; Malaysia, 33 percent; Pakistan, 26 percent; and Japan, 17 percent. (Christine Suniti Bhat, 2013:2).

Other research was conducted by Indonesian Commision for Protecting Children (KPAI) years 2011-2016 about kids bullying. On that years, 1,483 bullying case involved children. For example at April 2016, in Jakarta, five third grade class high school girls bullied four first grade high school girls. They insulted and force them to smoke. The reason so simple: because of they saw them went to cafe. (Kompas daily, August, 13, 2017).

In ROK same research also held by ROK researcher in London England. Seung-ha Lee (2012) from Psychology Department of Goldsmith College, London, that bullying also occur at ROK. From early chilhood until high school. Lee divide bullying be two part. He did that because bullying in ROK has difference than other country, he said. According from his research, bullying occur when a student or a kid bullied by group. If the student or kid only was bullied by one person, it cannot be desribe as bullying. It usually called Wang-Ta. So in ROK, bullying refer to Wang-Ta. Wang Ta almost always happened to student who has social exluded experiences. He or she cannot manage him or herself for live with the other people. So in ROK according by Lee, victim almost gain blame from pupils/community. Pupils look bullying victim cannot live normal so they be bullied by other students. This condition look dangerous. Because victim dont get protection but get blaming. (Seung ha Lee: 2012).

 ASEAN-ROK has same fate to make violence cannot reach their country. Specially their young generation. Country has duty to protect young generation. It is responsibility not rights. So both ASEAN and ROK cannot avoid fullfil this role. Some bullying problem must be handled. ASEAN and ROK as state has a duty to finish this.

State must attend. This is key for strengthtened our humanity. Bullying issue cannot be ignored again. Many kids or adolescents die because of bullying. ROK and ASEAN must act. The way is attend. Attend and discuss how education can protect children. How education can cut off violence accross the land. We know that state cannot annihiliate bullying to zero, but state can reduce it. It more effective when state also move intervene than let kids or adolescents finish this by themselves.

Actually, some meeting had been held by both of ROK and ASEAN. The result is in some documents. Such as ASEAN-ROK Plan of Action to Implement the Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity 2016-2020, ASEAN Community Vision 2025, and ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit. Many good intend to cooperate is desribed on there. ROK and ASEAN must implement it. Although bullying theme is not described specifically, it can be implemented on field. The implementantion such as:

First, at ASEAN vision 2025, part ASEAN socio cultural community. ROK-ASEAN state can implement program number 12.2. The programm: “an inclusive community that promotes high quality of life, equitable access to opportunities for all and promotes and protects human rights of women, children, youth, the elderly/older persons, persons with disabilities, migrant workers, and vulnerable and marginalised groups.

Promotes high quality of life and protects human rights of children is a keyword. Prevent bullying is a part of protecting human rights. It can actualize by strengthen government role at ministry of education.  Each minister must cooperate to consider that bullying is human rights violation issue. Government also input this issue to Commision of human rights in their country. Joint cooperation about human rights violation especially bullying must be held.

Second, bullying issue can be entered to 12.4 mission. A resillient community with enhanced capacity and capability to adapt and respon to social and economic vulnerabilities. In our community life we always have challenge. Resillient community in social vulnerabilities include bullying. Bullying make people especially children as our next generation be in vulnerable enviromnment. Children can gain violence act such as insult or hit. ASEAN-ROK Government must consider it. ASEAN-ROK can unite to make this strong  resillient community.

Third, recognise the importance of establishing and expanding a network for our future generations. This sentence has strong message that future generations both ASEAN and ROK must get well cooperation so can establish network. Bullying became one of issue can learned by this future generations. Make strong network to talk about bulying is important. So this future generation also be part of bullying solution. They establish network and spread idea about antibullying. It begin from their community, and around the world exactly.

Four, enhance cooperation in education and human resource development to achieve socio economic development, including through increasing the number of scholarship, promoting students and faculty exchanges and joint research in higher education, as well as increasing. Three keyword can make bullying be main theme in this program. Such as, joint research, exchange students, and scholarship. ASEAN-ROK can move in three activities. Exchange students can join research in each country. For example ROK students can research bullying which happened in ASEAN country, or ASEAN students do bullying research at ROK. Many scholarship especially for bullying research also must be increased by both ROK and ASEAN government. This is one of way to increase join caring to bullying event. When students can feel bullying in country, thats mean cooperation based on humanity feeling is success.

Fifth, based on ASEAN ROK Plant to Implement The Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership For Peace and Prosperity (2016-2020), ASEAN-ROK government can enter promote greater exchanges students and teachers to facilitate the sharing of experiences for further cross cultural understanding as antibullying programme. Sharing experiences for students across country ASEA-ROK is good way to understand bullying suffer happened in each country. When they can feel same way with victim in other countries, they can learn good solution for decrease bullying.

Sixth, ASEAN-ROK must cooperate to make new curriculum about bullying. It must ask other institution to sit together and discuss about it. Such as UNICEF and law enforcement. Ministry education each country can implemented antibullying curriculum. This curriculum must educate and teach students from early education until higher education about bullying cruelty, and dangerous. Also negative effect which happened in many country. For example, each school can held testimony event. From bully victim or ex bully victim, or from bully and ex bully testimony. Like ideology, it must be explained many times.So children can absorb it deeply on their heart and mind.

Cooperation against bullying can be one of best understanding between ASEAN and ROK. Cooperate in humanity, work for good relationship to make our future generation welfare, that is main goal from against bullying agenda. ASEAN and ROK government has basic responsibility for it.

 

 

 

REFFERENCES

Kompas, Daily. August, 13, 2017. Face school of Bullying, 12.

Lee, S.H. (2012). Bullying-like Behaviours in South Korea:Terms used, Origins in Early Childhood, and Links to Moral Reasoning. London: Goldsmith College, University of London

Suniti, B.C., & Chang, S.H., & Ragan, M.A. (2013). Cyberbullying in Asia. Journal Education about Asia, 18, 36-39.

Indonesian Citizen and high school education counselor or guidance and counseling teacher at SMK Negeri 1 Probolinggo, East Java Province, Indonesia

ABSTRACT ASEAN-ROK UNITE AGAINST BULLYING

ABSTRACT

By: Masbahur Roziqi

Bullying always be one of nuisance for future generations. Especially for kids or children at early school until high school. Adult also be part of this. Anyone can be a bully victim or bully perpetrator. When this is occuring at school or other places by naturally without intervention, it will be disaster. Chaos and revenge will be coloured school or campus, or work place.

This essay has good intention to raise government awareness. Especially for ROK (Republic of Korea) and ASEAN government. Both ROK and ASEAN has many future generation who suffered by bullying act. They suffer and many of the choose not to fight back. This is always happened and many adults only look them as ordinary problem. Not big problem as human rights problem.

Many effort can do by ROK-ASEAN government. In this essay, six thing can be discussed and implemented by ROK-ASEAN government. The thing such as:

First, at ASEAN vision 2025, part ASEAN socio cultural community. ROK-ASEAN state can implement program number 12.2. Promotes high quality of life and protects human rights of children is a keyword. Prevent bullying is a part of protecting human rights. It can actualize by strengthen government role at ministry of education.  Each minister must cooperate to consider that bullying is human rights violation issue.

Second, bullying issue can be entered to 12.4 mission. A resillient community with enhanced capacity and capability to adapt and respon to social and economic vulnerabilities. In our community life we always have challenge. Resillient community in social vulnerabilities include bullying. Bullying make people especially children as our next generation be in vulnerable enviromnment. Children can gain violence act such as insult or hit.

Third, recognise the importance of establishing and expanding a network for our future generations. This sentence has strong message that future generations both ASEAN and ROK must get well cooperation so can establish network. Bullying became one of issue can learned by this future generations. Make strong network to talk about bulying is important.

Four, enhance cooperation in education and human resource development to achieve socio economic development, including through increasing the number of scholarship, promoting students and faculty exchanges and joint research in higher education, as well as increasing. Three keyword can make bullying be main theme in this program. Such as, joint research, exchange students, and scholarship. ASEAN-ROK can move in three activities. Exchange students can join research in each country. Discuss about bullying.

Fifth, based on ASEAN ROK Plant to Implement The Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership For Peace and Prosperity (2016-2020), ASEAN-ROK government can enter promote greater exchanges students and teachers to facilitate the sharing of experiences for further cross cultural understanding as antibullying programme.

Sixth, ASEAN-ROK must cooperate to make new curriculum about bullying. It must ask other institution to sit together and discuss about it. Ministry education each country can implemented antibullying curriculum. This curriculum must educate and teach students from early education until higher education about bullying cruelty, and dangerous.