Preventing and repelling school violence - a topic of this forum, is not only the responsibility of adults, but also of the children themselves.
First time to the capital
306 delegates from 63 provinces and cities will represent nearly 25 million children nationwide to participate in the second simulated session of the Children's National Assembly - 2024 taking place from September 27 - 29 at Dien Hong Hall, National Assembly House.
Thao Mi Phenh - a 9th grade student at Lung Chinh Ethnic Boarding Secondary School (Meo Vac district, Ha Giang province) was still moved when she learned that she was one of the child delegates attending this meeting.
“I feel very happy and proud. This is also the first time I have been out of the province and participated in such a big meeting. I was also very worried! But thanks to the guidance and encouragement of the teachers, I have clearly understood my duty as a representative of the children of Ha Giang province, now I am less worried” - Thao Mi Phenh shared.
Attending this meeting is very meaningful to Phenh. Here, he will be able to represent his voice on the use of tobacco, stimulants and school violence - issues that seem big, but are very close to every student like him. Because in recent years, the situation of school violence has become a matter of concern for the whole society.
Not as bewildered as Phenh, Nguyen Thuy Tien - a 9C student at Nguyen Trai Secondary School (Vinh Linh District, Quang Tri Province), participated in the first mock session of the Children's National Assembly in 2023. This year, Tien is one of 40 outstanding delegates selected to play key roles in the mock session.
“I feel very honored and proud to represent the voices of my peers. At this forum, I have the opportunity to interact, learn, and study about the State apparatus, the National Assembly, and its agencies - information that is truly important to me,” Thuy Tien said.
Attending the forum for the second time, Tien herself also hopes that the proposals and recommendations at the hypothetical session will be the basis for the leaders of the National Assembly, the Government, and local agencies and departments to pay attention to, research, and from there, issue programs, projects, and plans to specify issues to implement policies on children effectively, more suitable to the aspirations of children.
In particular, participating in the Children's National Assembly mock session program has awakened and nurtured a big dream in Tien, which is to become an elected representative. With the direct attention and encouragement of the National Assembly Chairman, agencies and ministries, Tien felt overwhelmed with emotion.
As one of 47 ethnic minority delegates attending the second session of the “Children’s National Assembly”, delegate Thao Mi Phenh also witnessed school violence and was haunted by it.
“I have witnessed it several times. Students who are subjected to violence, especially mental and verbal violence, often feel hurt, depressed, anxious, lonely, and devastated. I also know that many cases have caused serious consequences, leaving physical and mental pain for students and their families,” said Thao Mi Phenh.
To prevent and reduce school violence, I also joined the Change Leaders Club. By joining this club, we can watch and learn lessons on preventing school violence to propagate to our friends and especially change ourselves, change people's thinking about violent behavior in the school environment.
Strong, not afraid to express opinions
“Students fighting and punching each other has always existed, but nowadays I think we need to condemn violent behavior because it becomes dangerous, not only violating ethics but also the law. We must see all the consequences to have the determination to prevent it,” said child delegate Nguyen Thuy Tien.
Since being informed by the Quang Tri Provincial Youth Union to prepare for an interview at this meeting, Tien has prepared a lot of knowledge, first of all knowledge about the two topics of the hypothetical meeting.
My friends and I collected opinions from young people in Quang Tri province and had a dialogue with the Provincial People's Council on two topics of the meeting, especially the content of preventing school violence to be able to come up with appropriate solutions.
What Thuy Tien wants to spread is to raise and promote the right to participate in issues related to children. Because often after clips of school violence are spread, school leaders, teachers and parents discover and deal with the consequences.
“The usual solution is to impose a fine on the student, reconcile the parties involved and organize propaganda. But I think this is only a temporary solution without going deep into the root of the problem to consider and propose a fundamental, long-term solution to end school violence,” said student Thuy Tien frankly.
"I hope that the authorities also need to strengthen management and eliminate bad and toxic content on the internet, especially bad and toxic content aimed at children" - Thuy Tien strongly expressed her opinion.
Delegate Thao Mi Phenh also proposed to teachers to organize extracurricular activities. "I will work with my classmates to promote to the younger students and the older students the model of beautiful friendship, friendly school, active students, and happy classrooms so that they can feel the joy of friendship" - Phenh said.
With the competent authorities, it is expected that ministries and branches need to promote communication, dissemination and replication of effective coordination models between schools, families and society in educating ethics, lifestyle, cultural behavior and life skills for students. Educational institutions coordinate with local agencies, departments and branches to monitor, promptly receive information, coordinate processing and statistics, and report on the situation of law violations and social evils, and acts of school violence related to children and students.
Ms. Pham Thu Ba - Acting Country Director of Plan International Vietnam, the unit accompanying the Central Council of Young Pioneers in organizing the mock session of the Children's National Assembly, said:
“This year, students across the country have chosen the topic of preventing and combating school violence and creating a safe environment for children as one of the two main topics of the meeting. We highly respect and support their choice. Working together with our partners and students, we are increasingly aware that school violence and its consequences are always a burning issue and that students want, prioritize and are determined to solve it by both prevention and combat.
Over the years, Plan has always accompanied local authorities and schools in 5 project provinces of Ha Giang, Lai Chau, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Kon Tum to build and develop practical models such as: Change Leaders Club in schools, Children's Council models at all levels. The 2nd Children's National Assembly mock session is an opportunity for children to exchange opinions and propose solutions to protect themselves and their friends from school violence. We are very proud to contribute to this important journey."
