Why Do Children Bully? A Viral Video From DK Raises Fresh Concerns

A video showing a Grade 12 pupil at David Kaunda National Technical Secondary School assaulting a fellow student in a school dormitory has drawn widespread public condemnation, prompting the Ministry of Education to confirm the learner has been suspended and to lay out, for the first time in this much detail, how the ministry actually handles bullying cases once they surface.

The footage, which circulated widely on social media, shows the pupil, shouting and using abusive language while confronting another student.

The video drew strong reaction online, with many commenting on the contrast between the aggressive conduct shown and the calm, articulate public image the pupil had built for himself on social media.

WHAT THE MINISTRY SAYS HAPPENS NEXT

Rather than treating the case in isolation, the Ministry of Education used the moment to explain its broader approach once an incident is reported or comes to light.

A ministry official, Dr Mambwe, said the first step when a child is involved in bullying is counselling, both for the child who caused harm and for the victim, describing this as an effort to "rehabilitate them, we reform them to become better citizens."

Sanctions follow separately, he said, and can range from suspension to expulsion depending on the severity of the offence. In this case, the ministry has confirmed the pupil involved has been suspended.

Dr Mambwe extended his comments to parental responsibility, pointing to a separate viral video showing a child abusing others while an adult filmed and laughed as an example of what he called "irresponsible parenting."

He urged parents to take a keener interest in their children's school experiences and to watch for signs a child may be experiencing bullying, including withdrawal, isolation or unexplained absenteeism, engaging with them before a crisis surfaces rather than after.

WHY CHILDREN BULLY

Researchers who study bullying consistently find that children rarely bully simply because they are inherently cruel.

UNICEF and child development researchers point to several recurring drivers: many children who bully have themselves been bullied before, and are repeating a pattern rather than originating one.

Others are drawn in by group dynamics, joining in to gain acceptance or avoid becoming a target themselves. A significant body of research links bullying behaviour to conditions at home, children raised in dysfunctional, low-cohesion households, or by parents who are either overly dominant and controlling or who model aggression as an acceptable way to resolve conflict, are more likely to bully their peers.

Some children bully out of a felt sense of powerlessness elsewhere in their lives, seeking control the only place they can find it. Underlying all of this is often a simple lack of awareness of the real harm bullying causes, both to the victim and, ultimately, to themselves.

THE ROLE OF SCHOOLS, PARENTS AND SOCIETY

Researchers and child welfare bodies are consistent on one point: addressing bullying effectively requires all three, not just one, acting together. Schools are expected to do more than punish after the fact.

Effective anti-bullying approaches call for clear, consistently enforced policies, early identification training for teachers and staff, and structured opportunities, such as empathy-building and role-play exercises, that reduce bullying before it starts rather than only responding once it has.

Zambia's own Ministry response, pairing counselling with graduated sanctions, reflects this model, treating bullying as a behaviour to be corrected and understood rather than only punished.

Parents carry a distinct responsibility that schools cannot substitute for. Because bullying behaviour is frequently learned at home, through modelled aggression, harsh or inconsistent discipline, or a child's own unaddressed experience of being bullied or neglected, experts say parental engagement is often the most effective lever for prevention.

That means paying attention to a child's emotional state and peer relationships, addressing aggressive behaviour directly rather than dismissing it, and working with schools rather than only reacting defensively when a child is implicated.

Society's role, researchers argue, lies largely in how bullying is discussed once it becomes public. Public shaming of a child caught on video, however understandable the anger, can entrench rather than correct behaviour, and can also cause lasting harm to the child being punished, particularly given that many children who bully have themselves experienced violence or neglect.

A healthier societal response focuses collective attention on demanding stronger institutional policies, supporting families under strain, and reinforcing empathy as a social norm, rather than on the viral spectacle of any single incident.

WHAT HAPPENS TO CHILDREN WHO BULLY

The evidence on long-term outcomes for children who bully is sobering.

Research compiled by the United States government's StopBullying.gov and other child health bodies has found that children who bully others face heightened risks of aggressive and impulsive behaviour that can escalate into vandalism, fighting and criminal charges later in life; poor academic performance and higher dropout rates; and, in adulthood, greater likelihood of struggling to maintain relationships, employment and financial stability.

Children who both bully others and are bullied themselves, so-called bully-victims, face the most serious outcomes of all, carrying the highest combined risk of depression, anxiety and antisocial personality difficulties into adulthood.

Immediately, children who bully often face suspension or expulsion, as in this case, along with damage to their reputation and relationships that can be difficult to repair, especially once footage of an incident has spread publicly and permanently online.

WHAT CHILDREN WHO ARE BEING BULLIED SHOULD DO

Child protection organisations, including UNICEF, are consistent in their guidance to children experiencing bullying: tell a trusted adult, a parent, teacher or counsellor, as early as possible, rather than trying to manage it alone.

Keeping a record of incidents, including screenshots of any online abuse, can help adults and schools respond effectively once informed.

Children are encouraged to avoid retaliating physically, which can escalate a situation and complicate how it is later handled, and instead to seek safety in numbers where possible, staying near friends or trusted peers in situations where bullying tends to occur.

Every child, UNICEF notes, has a right to a safe school environment free from physical or psychological harm, and adults, whether parents, teachers or school administrators, bear the responsibility to act once bullying is reported, not to dismiss it as an ordinary part of growing up.