Seoul: Nearly 3 in 100 students in elementary through high school reported experiencing school violence, a government survey showed Wednesday, the highest rate since the study began in 2013. The education ministry and 16 regional education offices conducted this year's survey online for all 3.9 million students in the fourth to 12th grade from April 14 until May 13. Some 3.19 million students, or 81.9 percent of the total, participated.
According to Yonhap News Agency, a total of 2.9 percent of students said they experienced school violence between the second semester of last year and April-May this year, marking an increase of 0.4 percentage points from the equivalent study last year. The data revealed that elementary school students reported the highest rate at 5.7 percent, followed by middle school students at 2.3 percent, and high school students at 0.8 percent, with all groups showing increases from the previous year.
Verbal harassment accounted for the largest share of the reported school violence at 37.8 percent, followed by bullying at 17.1 percent and physical violence at 15.7 percent. The National Youth Policy Institute, responsible for conducting the study, attributed the increased rates to a combination of classroom conflicts evolving into violence and heightened sensitivity to school violence among students and parents. The institute also highlighted that heavy use of technical devices has led teenagers to have fewer personal relationships and less empathy.
The education ministry stated its intention to use the survey results to develop school violence prevention measures, aiming to address the rising concern among students and parents regarding school safety and student well-being.