“The impact is not only felt in the short and medium term, but can also affect students’ mental and emotional development in the long run,” said Saifuddin.
BITHE.co – Bullying in schools is still often dismissed as a trivial matter. In fact, its impact goes beyond physical harm, potentially affecting victims’ mental and emotional well-being over the long term.
Therefore, all parties are urged to take bullying cases more seriously, especially educational institutions such as schools, madrasahs, and Islamic boarding schools (pesantren). Education on bullying is considered crucial so that educational environments are equipped to properly prevent and handle such cases.
This was conveyed by the Head of the Community Service (PKM) Team from the Faculty of Law, Syiah Kuala University (FH USK), Saifuddin Bantasyam SH MA, during a PKM event held at SMAN 1 Lhoknga, Aceh Besar, on Saturday (26/9/2022). The event carried the theme “STOP Bullying and Violence in Schools”.
According to Saifuddin, bullying must be viewed as a serious issue by everyone, including parents, teachers, students, and the wider community.
“The impact is not only felt in the short and medium term, but can also affect students’ mental and emotional development in the long run,” Saifuddin said.
He explained that bullying can manifest in various forms, ranging from taunting, threats, and social exclusion to physical violence.
“In a school environment that should serve as a safe and supportive space for learning, such actions can instead undermine students’ self-confidence and motivation,” he said.
For this reason, Saifuddin believes that teachers need to be able to recognize the warning signs of bullying among students.
“Some of these include sudden behavioral changes, reluctance to go to school, a decline in academic performance, and unexplained physical complaints,” he noted.
The PKM team from FH USK comprised Prof Dr Ilyas Yunus SH MH, Dr Nursiti SH MH, Dr Ida Kemala Jeumpa SH MH, Roslaini SH MH, and Nurhafifah SH MH. They were directly involved in mentoring 40 students, who were divided into 10 groups.
The group division utilized a student-based learning approach, ensuring that students remained at the center of the activities.
Each group was assigned two questions to discuss. Following the discussions, group representatives presented their findings, which were then addressed with feedback from the PKM team members.
Saifuddin noted that the presentations demonstrated that the students already possessed a good preliminary understanding of why bullying occurs in various schools.
“They understand the impacts on both victims and perpetrators, as well as what students should do if they become victims, and the roles that schools and parents play in preventing bullying,” Saifuddin said regarding the activity’s progress.
Meanwhile, the Principal of SMAN 1 Lhoknga, Zikriah, warmly welcomed the PKM initiative from FH USK. In her view, the theme of bullying and violence is highly relevant to current conditions.
“The momentum is indeed very timely. We hope the presence of the FH USK team goes beyond this PKM program and extends into other sessions, leaving a lasting legacy for SMAN 1 Lhoknga in preventing bullying and violence in the future,” Zikriah stated.
On the same occasion, Prof Dr Zahratul Idami SH M.Hum and Saifuddin also featured as guest speakers on the Podcast Ngola (Ngobrol Sekolah), managed by the SMAN 1 Lhoknga Student Council (OSIS). During the 25-minute session, both discussed the same topic, addressing bullying and violence in schools.
The event at SMAN 1 Lhoknga marked the conclusion of the PKM series organized by FH USK since September 21 across several sub-districts in Aceh Besar to commemorate USK’s 65th Anniversary.