Dubai: Children's violent acts during school hours have been revealed in a new survey.
Some 15 per cent of students admit using sharp objects against peers in the School Violence in UAE Society poll.
As many as 580 public school pupils in grade 10 answered questions regarding unruly behaviour between 2009 and 2010. XPRESS obtained a copy of the study which is expected to come out soon.
Almost 11 per cent have hit teachers and a further 11 per cent have pelted tutors with stones. Nearly seven per cent have spat on teachers. Over a quarter confessed to destroying school property and nearly 13 per cent admitted smashing windows. The students and schools involved have not been named in the study.
Earlier report
An earlier report in 2010 showed about 63 per cent of male students in the UAE had a physical fight once or more in the past 12 months. The Global School-based Student Health Survey also revealed some 13 per cent of pupils in the country attempted suicide at least once in the same period.
Last year a schoolboy aged 13 was fatally stabbed − a dozen times − by a teenage gang in Dubai and a Federal National Council member had said 200 students were involved in knife fights in Ajman alone. A senior Ministry of Interior official said the UAE is now drafting a bill to regulate the entry of weapons such as daggers, sticks and batons into the country.
Authorities have suggested fitting classrooms and school buses with security cameras to track violence and a proposal includes banning children under 15 from being alone outdoors at night.
Survey author Professor Ahmad Alomosh said school violence is rising because of neglect at both home and school coupled with aggressive content in movies, TV shows or websites.
He added children need to be closely involved in family and school life. He also suggested more cultural, social and sports activities to keep children out of trouble.
"We need better communication between teachers and parents, we just don't have that kind of interaction any more", Professor Alomosh said. He is the dean of the University of Sharjah's social sciences college.
"Violence has spread in all schools because children today live in the same environment," he added.
Did you know?
- Students aged 16 are most at risk of committing violent acts
- 82 per cent of pupils say peer pressure is the leading cause of violence
- 11 per cent of students said they have pelted their teachers with stones
- Source: School Violence in UAE Society
