Conversations highlight cyberbullying in Brunei schools

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Students from Mulaut Primary School participated in discussions by the Public Relations Unit, Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) and Prisons Department on Wednesday (Nov 13) as part of the BEST Week program (Bantu, Empati, Sayangi , Tanggungjawab).

The program, an ongoing initiative of the Ministry of Education, is an effort to curb and prevent the symptoms of bullying, including cyberbullying, so that it does not occur among students at school.

Siti Habibah Mahbub from the Prison Department shared the conditions and daily routines of prisoners in the prison, including meals.

During the educational session, students also witnessed a first-hand demonstration of caning, targeting both civilian and Syrian offenders.

The RBPF briefing, by Mohd Khiroul Azmi Mohd Shah, discussed the different types of bullying that occur in the school environment.

Bullying, he said, refers to aggressive behavior, in physical or psychological form, repeatedly displayed in the victim and aims to induce a feeling of discomfort as well as the absence of peace, tranquility and harmony.

Cyberbullying is a form of bullying that takes place via digital platforms such as social media, media applications and websites.

Cyberbullying can have profound effects on victims, including emotional problems and mental disorders, and in more extreme cases it can lead to depression.

Themed ‘Cyberbullying Awareness’, the program aims to increase understanding and knowledge and teach students to control themselves and prevent cyberbullying.

The program also exposes students to the dangers of cyberbullying and its negative consequences, hoping to produce students who are disciplined, respectful of each other, and possess good morals. – Borneo Bulletin/ANN