Kolkata : Kolkata: Sounding an alarm over silent bullying, social alienation, and increasing distress among students, Kolkata’s top school heads on Tuesday warned that schools and parents must overhaul campus vigilance.
An NCERT West Bengal assessment had revealed that 19% of students feel unsafe at school, 30% reported peer teasing, and 23% faced routine group exclusion. Because a child, who is aggressive in class might be obedient at home, satabdi Bhattacharjee, the principal of The Newtown School, said “Parents go into denial.
“Suicides and extreme distress are the end result of issues left unaddressed,” said Jessica Gomes Surana, principal of Birla High School-Mukundapur. A sudden change in behaviour should never be ignored, said psychologist Soumya Mukherjee. Suman Sood, director and principal of BD Memorial Junior School and an ECA national core committee member said both the victim and the aggressor require restorative guidance rather than punitive blame, calling on schools across Kolkata to embed empathy directly into daily curriculum routines.
Heads of leading institutions, including La Martiniere for Girls, Birla High School-Mukundapur, The Newtown School, SPK Jain Futuristic Academy, and BD Memorial Junior attended the event. Educators underscored that the relentless chase for marks has eroded basic empathy. Jayeeta Ganguly, principal of SPK Jain Futuristic Academy, noted that her school dedicates two out of five days strictly to mental wellness.