The Department of History of Kazakhstan and Social-Political Sciences hosted a roundtable discussion with students from the group M-2011a of the International Medical Faculty on the topic of bullying in the education system. The students compared the issues of bullying in India and Kazakhstan. Despite social and cultural differences between the two countries, the students concluded that bullying in education shares more similarities than differences. The problem of bullying is a global concern these days.
Statistics show that about 17.5% of children in Kazakhstan face bullying, and 44% are bullied at school, with nearly one in four children engaging in violence against peers. According to the UNICEF study 63% of children witnessed bullying in schools. In India, the issue of bullying is equally common: around 23% of children are often bullied, about 7% admit to bullying others, and between 10% to 30% of children are victims of bullying.
In both countries, punishment for bullying involves an administrative penalty, such as warning and penal fines, but incitement to suicide is considered a capital offense. Despite of constitutional guarantees of human dignity, there is a need for more specific anti-bullying laws to ensure clarity and hold offenders liable.
To prevent and reduce bullying, educational institutions in India and Kazakhstan are developing intervention programs for teachers and students, involving the public represented by parents, NGOs, and concerned parties in education. For instance, an anti-bullying campaign is conducted in schools of Kazakhstan, under the auspices of UNICEF. It is also required to foster a culture of empathy and establish open communication channels that allow children to share their experiences without fear of judgment.
The round table discussion was organized and conducted by N.A. Mingisheva,  Assistant Professor at the Department of History of Kazakhstan and Social-Political Sciences.