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Suspected fatal bullying cases highlight growing violence issue in schools
Last year, JPPI recorded a total of 573 bullying cases in schools and Islamic boarding schools nationwide, more than double the 285 cases reported the previous year.
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Bullying illustration. (Courtesy of/Shutterstock)
T
he recent deaths of two elementary school students in Riau and South Sulawesi, reportedly due to bullying, highlight the alarming prevalence of violence in schools and the government's failure to ensure safe learning environments for children.
Eight-year-old Khris Topel Butarbutar died on May 26, allegedly after being beaten by older students at SDN 12 Buluh Rampai State Elementary School in Indragiri Hulu Regency, Riau.
According to his father, Gimson Butarbutar, the second grader began complaining of a fever and stomach pain on May 20, a day after he returned home early from school because his bicycle tires had been deflated by older students.
“He didn’t initially tell me what was making him sick, but when I spoke to his friends, they said he had been beaten by four older students about a week earlier,” Gimson said on Sunday, as quoted by Kompas.
“When I asked Khris about it, he confirmed it. He said he had been bullied for some time because of his religion and ethnicity,” he added.
According to Gimson, Khris was admitted to the hospital shortly afterward, where he suffered seizures and began bleeding from his mouth and ears. His condition continued to deteriorate until he eventually passed away.
Gimson has reported five of Khris’s fellow students, aged between 11 and 13, to the Riau Police on suspicion of assault.
