The Fiji Human Rights and Anti Discrimination Commission received 11 complaints from students in relation to bullying and corporal punishment last year.

Commission director Loukinikini Lewaravu said alarmingly, between January to April this year, they have already received 10 complaints.

“The Commission continues to receive complaints of alleged discrimination on the grounds of race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and gender identity, let alone bullying in school and infliction of corporal punishment despite it being unlawful,” she said while speaking at the Fiji Principal’s Association Conference in Suva today.

“The Commission received 11 complaints in 2023 relating to bullying and the use of corporal punishment in schools while in 2024, between January to April, we received 10 complaints of alleged bullying, physical assault, racism, access to education, victimization of students, corporal punishment, access to transportation to school and home, child abuse and arrest of a student for alleged drug trafficking.

“We see an increase in complaints involving children mostly in the school setting and this is alarming.”