Bullying: A mental health epidemic crisis in Guyana’s Schools

Oct 12, 2025 Features / Columnists, News

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Essential components of an effective programme

By Dr. Telford Layne Jr. PsyD, MSc. Postgrad, BSc.
Clinical and Developmental Psychologist – Psychoanalyst
Unwrapping Gift – Clinic

(Kaieteur News) – To effectively combat bullying in our schools, the issue must first be acknowledged and addressed at the level of government, organisations, and community leadership. Key figures—including the president, ministers, CEOs, directors, and religious leaders—must reassess their behaviours and lifestyle choices, setting a positive example for the younger generation. This approach, while straightforward, can yield impactful results.

Whole-school approach: A practical plan requires school-wide involvement and support, from administrators to students. The school environment should reinforce a culture of inclusiveness and diversity.

A bullying prevention programme in schools aims to prevent and reduce bullying through comprehensive, multi-component strategies that involve students, staff, parents, and the community.

Student activities and curricula: Classroom lessons and activities can help develop social-emotional skills, such as empathy and conflict resolution. Role-playing scenarios can empower bystanders, also known as “upstanders,” to intervene safely.

It is essential to initiate discussions about bullying. This could involve a dedicated two- to three-month campaign during which bullying is examined in classrooms, accompanied by daily general assembly’s lasting approximately one hour. The campaign should begin with defining bullying, exploring its various forms, examining its detrimental effects, and discussing appropriate responses.

Educational materials, in both printed and video formats, should be made readily available, displayed prominently within school environments, and accessible via mobile devices. This initiative aims to educate students about the nature of bullying, the motivations behind such behaviour, and the consequences faced by those who are targeted. Establishing clear behavioural expectations is crucial.

Clear, consistent policies: School-wide rules against bullying must be established and communicated to students, staff, and parents. The school system should consistently enforce consequences for breaking these rules.

To reduce incidents of bullying, schools must adopt unambiguous definitions of bullying, along with a well-established policy. Students should be informed about the school’s stance on bullying, including the consequences that will be enforced for perpetrators, the support systems available for victims, and the resources accessible to both groups.

Parent and community engagement: Informational sessions and communication with parents help extend anti-bullying efforts into the home. Partnering with community organisations can provide additional resources and support.

Incidents of bullying occurring outside of school by school-aged children should be reported to law enforcement and addressed by a National Anti-Bullying Task Force.

It is vital to foster open communication and to reconstitute the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) to specifically focus on addressing bullying. This should involve securing unwavering pledges of support to provide the necessary resources and to collectively brainstorm solutions to combat this pervasive issue, which has been negatively impacting lives for generations.

Building children’s self-confidence is also essential. A review of the school curriculum is necessary to incorporate life skills, psychological grounding techniques, self-awareness, and emotional regulation into a dedicated subject, commencing in early education. Teachers should be adequately trained, or specialists should be engaged to conduct sessions two to three times a week to address these important topics.

Addressing bullying in schools necessitates a proactive and responsive approach, engaging parents and children in therapeutic interventions until notable behavioural change is achieved.

It is essential to recognise that individuals who engage in bullying may be psychologically imbalanced, possibly displaying traits associated with personality disorders, such as antisocial personality disorder. Additionally, they may originate from challenging home environments characterized by trauma, leading to bullying as a maladaptive coping mechanism. Therefore, addressing this issue requires a comprehensive family-based approach.

Staff Training and Professional Development: Teachers and staff require ongoing training to recognise, prevent, and respond effectively to incidents of bullying. This training should cover topics such as classroom management and recognising signs of covert bullying.

Encouraging reporting: Establish multiple, non-stigmatizing, and anonymous methods for students to report incidents of bullying. This ensures that incidents are tracked and addressed.

Targeted support for involved students: Give specialised support to students who bully, are bullied, or witness bullying behaviour. This includes individual counselling and interventions focused on developing positive behaviours and building self-esteem.

The Victim of Bullying

Upon the identification of a child as a victim of bullying, it is essential to implement an appropriate response. The victim should be provided with trauma-informed care, which includes psychotherapy aimed at rebuilding self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-value. Fostering resilience and assertiveness is crucial to prevent the child from developing passive-aggressive or aggressive behaviours towards themselves and others. The victim should engage in weekly therapy sessions lasting approximately 60 minutes to address the repercussions of the bullying experience. It is recommended that parents or caregivers participate in a minimum of 25% of these sessions until the child achieves significant progress or is fully rehabilitated.

The Bully

In cases involving bullying, it is advisable to temporarily remove the child from the school environment for an indefinite period. It is essential to conduct an assessment to diagnose the underlying causes of the bullying behaviour. A comprehensive treatment plan must be developed, necessitating the attendance of both the child and their parents at weekly 90-minute therapy sessions. Additionally, modifications at home should be made to support the child’s recovery within a nurturing parental environment.

Specialised Intervention: The personnel conducting these individual, group and family psychotherapy sessions must be qualified. Trained for years and highly skilled with a recognised master’s degree or doctoral degree in clinical, forensic, educational, counselling or trauma fields. This is to prevent retraumatizing the victims and to better administer care to the victim and predator.

Evidence-based programmes

• Olweus Bullying Prevention Programme (OBPP): A comprehensive, school-wide programme for elementary through high school that includes school, classroom, and individual-level interventions.
• Positive Behavioural Interventions and Supports (PBIS): A tiered framework for promoting positive behaviour that can be adapted to prevent bullying.
• Bullying Prevention Unit (BPU): A supplemental, evidence-based programme for kindergarten students that can be added to the social-emotional learning curriculum.

I am willing to support individuals, families, schools, and the Ministry of Education in developing a comprehensive programme that brings healing to both victims of bullying and perpetrators of bullying.

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• bullying, mental health, Psychologist, Telford Layne, victim

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