New anti-bullying measures in schools a good start, but parents say they must go beyond ‘quick fixes’

SINGAPORE – For Mrs Sher-li Torrey, the news that every school in Singapore will follow standardised disciplinary measures in cases of bullying brought a sense of cautious relief.

The 49-year-old, whose daughter has faced bullying in the past, believes a national baseline is a step towards fairness.

“Bullying can be very subjective, and in some ways, having a clearer definition of what constitutes bullying and the respective punishments would ensure that, as a starting point, at least parents and educators are on the same page,” the founder of career portal Mums@Work said.

Mrs Torrey is among the parents who welcome the clearer standards set by the Ministry of Education (MOE), following new anti-bullying measures announced on April 15.

They say some steps – including a new online reporting channel and more resources for schools – address longstanding concerns about transparency and whether teachers are adequately supported to handle the complexities of bullying.

The nine recommendations, which will be gradually implemented from 2026, were born from a year-long review involving 2,000 parents, educators and other stakeholders.

These include standardised disciplinary measures across all schools, including caning and suspension, more timely and consistent updates from schools to parents, a new online reporting channel and more funding for schools that need support in managing bullying cases.

But some parents question how promptly schools will provide updates and whether victims who report cases will be safe. They also hope equal attention will be given to restorative work, with counselling and reflection prioritised for all affected parties.

While MOE has assured timely communication, parents said this may be applied differently across schools.

Drawing from her own experience, in which a teacher provided updates every three days when her daughter, then aged 11, faced bullying in school, Mrs Torrey said a prompt response is assuring for parents.

“I personally think it’s good for teachers to inform parents within three hours of a bullying case being brought to their attention,” she said, so parents can hear both sides of the story. “Sometimes, when parents learn about something through their kids, their emotions may take over.”

Parents said that having an online reporting channel will help, as students may not always feel comfortable speaking directly to their form teachers. But those who report incidents – especially victims – must be protected, they added.

Ms Nora Khamis, a mother of two, said that roping in a neutral third-party investigator or counsellor may be helpful in some cases, so that there is less of a conflict of interest.

“These third parties also would not have responsibilities like a teacher does and would have more time to manage incidents of bullying,” said the 45-year-old, who works in the legal industry.

Sharing the load, drawing insights

More resources and extra manpower for schools will provide some relief, but some say the responsibility for student outcomes will still fall largely on teachers.

For restorative measures to work, parental involvement must be mandatory, said a teacher who spoke on condition of anonymity. Drawing a parallel to smoking cessation clinics, he said counselling is effective only when parents participate alongside their children, ensuring behavioural changes are reinforced at home.

Assistant Professor Cheung Hoi Shan from the National Institute of Education said external staff may not fully alleviate the load.

“(Teachers) have very strong rapport with the students and families because of that interaction throughout the school year. And most of the time, they are first responders to things that happen in the classroom,” she said.

She added that there is a need for more targeted professional development to build teachers’ capabilities in managing bullying incidents, especially for beginning teachers.

Dr Jean Liu, associate professor of psychology at the Singapore Institute of Technology, said schools need specialised expertise.

“Schools would benefit from... access to child protection or trauma experts when claims are sensitive,” she said, adding that a central unit at MOE headquarters could help oversee the most complex cases.

Both academics agreed that while the recommendations send a strong signal, outcomes must be tracked. Dr Liu noted that by releasing a standardised “table of consequences”, the Government has reduced the guesswork for families.

Dr Liu said keeping records of bullying incidents will help schools better understand the scope of the issue and track what measures work.

Prof Cheung said periodic reviews will help determine whether the recommendations work over time. “The cue should be taken from teachers about when a review is needed, as different schools come with different experiences, but nonetheless, (the ministry) needs to collect constant feedback.”

Going beyond ‘quick fixes’

Anti-bullying measures have to go beyond “quick fixes” and ensure long-term change, said parents and observers.

In a statement on April 16, a group of parents, known as EveryChild.SG, raised concerns about the use of corporal punishment, such as caning for boys, adding that there are limits to such punitive measures compared with restorative practices.

“Restorative consequences are more demanding of the perpetrator as they require them to actively reflect, understand the impact of their actions on others and take steps to make things right, rather than just receiving punishment,” they said.

They suggested steps such as structured counselling or behavioural coaching for the perpetrator to address underlying drivers of behaviour, like emotional regulation or unmet needs.

Mrs Patricia Tan, 54, who manages a parent mentoring academy, said that physical punishment is not a long-term solution, and called for follow-up counselling for both victims and perpetrators.

“I understand that punishment can come in many forms and agree that a consequence is needed,” she said.

“But it is important for a bully to go through counselling so we can get to the root of the behaviour.”

Many bullies are “very broken”, Mrs Tan said, welcoming the extra funding for external pastoral care.

This sentiment was echoed by Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC MP David Hoe, who, along with several MPs, has raised concerns about bullying among youth.

He questioned whether suspension was an effective deterrent or merely a “holiday away from the classroom”.

Suspension should be structured so that it involves ongoing reflection, said Mr Hoe, so that students use the time to think through their actions.

He said weaving role-playing and scenarios into Character and Citizenship Education lessons will provide students opportunities to practise intervening in real-world situations.

Mr Darryl David, who chairs the Government Parliamentary Committee for Education, said mental health awareness should be a key focus.

“As we address cases of bullying and support the victim, we also need to understand why this case happened and help the perpetrator as well,” the Ang Mo Kio GRC MP said.

“Even as we put in place consequences, counselling and emotional education for all should be key to help students deal with stress and anxiety.”