MY DAUGHTER, a Primary 2 pupil, was pushed, punched and kicked by a classmate outside her classroom for no apparent reason.

Two of her classmates, who were in on the beating, commented that the main aggressor was like a professional.

When I e-mailed the school about the incident, my daughter's form teacher held an investigation, which led to an apology by the three girls to my daughter.

I hope the Ministry of Education will ensure that such incidents do not recur. Secondary schools have access to an anti-school bullying management kit on the ministry's website. A similar kit should be developed for primary schools.

Teachers and parents are the most important people to help stop bullying in school, but their personalities, work obligations and skills vary.

Besides offering teachers pre-service training in handling bullying cases, other forms of training and workshops should be introduced too.

Schools and parent-teacher associations should also conduct sessions for parents of pupils who bully or are bullied. The ministry should mandate that all bullying cases, including the remedial actions taken, be recorded and reviewed by the school.

Until our children can appreciate fully that school is a safe and secure environment, the ministry's efforts in developing a quality education system may not reap the full benefits.

Toh Puay Yong

This article was first published in The Straits Times.