BULLYING IN SCHOOLS IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Abstract

This topic has gained significant importance recently, with UNICEF reporting that half of the world's adolescents face violence and harassment from their peers, both in and out of school settings [1]. Bullying has a detrimental impact on the education and academic success of over 150 million children aged 13 to 15. The rise of modern digital technologies has worsened the situation, giving rise to a new form of harassment known as "cyberbullying." Although bullying was traditionally examined primarily within the education sector, it is now being investigated by experts in psychology, pedagogy, communications, and information technology. A 2022 survey conducted among schoolchildren in an Almaty public school revealed the following: 17% of adolescents aged 11-15 were bullied at school one or more times a month, with urban schoolchildren being more likely victims than rural ones. The prevalence of bullying among boys and girls decreased slightly by age 15. Additionally, 20% of adolescents in this age group admitted to participating in bullying others at least once a month, with the behavior being most common among boys aged 11 and 13. Moreover, 12% of adolescents experienced cyberbullying at least once during the same period. These findings emphasize the persistent and evolving nature of bullying, including its digital form