Suwendi - Lecturer SPs UIN Jakarta

In the last week, we were shocked by the explosion at SMAN 72 Jakarta that occurred during Friday prayers (7/11/2025). The incident that resulted in up to 96 injuries was allegedly carried out by students of the school. Still in the process of investigating the motive for the action. However, one of the allegations was an act of revenge because of the bullying experienced by the perpetrator. These incidents show that unhandled bullying behavior has triggered extreme reactions.

Bullying has become one of the serious challenges in our world of education. In fact, Permendikbudristek 46/2023 concerning the Prevention and Handling of Violence in Education Units has ranked bullying as a form of violence in educational institutions. Of course, handling this bullying must be our collective concentration.

It is realized that bullying that occurs in educational institutions is not only related to the individual behavior of a student, but also reflects the social, cultural, and institutional dynamics in the educational environment. Education should function for character building, potential development, and instilling human values, but in some cases it has become an arena for the emergence of symbolic and psychological violence in the form of bullying. Therefore, the relationship between education and bullying is dialectical, that is, education can be a means of preventing bullying, but it can also be a fertile ground for the growth of such behavior if the underlying system and values are not managed properly.

From a sociological and pedagogical perspective, bullying appears as a symptom of the failure of educational institutions to instill the values of empathy, equality, and respect for diversity. Schools or educational institutions that overemphasize cognitive, competitive, and hierarchical aspects without instilling humanist values tend to give birth to a culture of covert violence. Paulo Freire (1970) in Pedagogy of the Oppressed emphasized that education that is a "banking system", which treats students as passive objects, has the potential to create unequal power relations. This kind of relationship is the structural root of bullying behavior. Students who are stronger, popular, or socially powerful oppress weaker ones. For this reason, liberating and dialogical education is a key strategy in preventing bullying in the educational institution.

From the perspective of educational psychology, bullying can have a negative impact on the social-emotional development of students, both for victims, perpetrators, and witnesses. Victims often experience trauma, anxiety, and low self-esteem, which ultimately interferes with their learning process and academic development. Meanwhile, bullies show a need for dominance and social control that is not channeled positively, indicating a lack of character education and emotional management. Therefore, an integrative educational approach that combines social-emotional learning, character education, and habituation of empathy values is crucial to foster a safe and inclusive learning environment.

In the policy aspect, both the Ministry and stakeholders of educational institutions have a moral and legal responsibility to create a school culture that is free from violence. Bullying prevention programs need to be included in the education curriculum, teacher training, and school discipline system. Teachers must play the role not only as teachers, but also as mentors and protectors of students. Anti-bullying education is not just a moral campaign, but a systemic transformation that touches the structure, curriculum, and relationships between school residents.

Thus, humanistic, dialogical, and inclusive educational practices can be the most effective bulwark to prevent and overcome bullying. On the contrary, an education system that ignores human values can actually strengthen a culture of violence. For this reason, our commitment to education that is fair, empathetic, and character-driven is the main prerequisite for the birth of a learning environment that is free from bullying and upholds the dignity of each individual.