Telling children “don’t bully” isn’t enough. Teachers need to understand what drives a child to hurt others and address the deeper issues behind it.
The Department of Education (DepEd) and Save the Children are partnering to train teachers on mental health and psychosocial support, helping them respond with care to children’s emotional and behavioral needs. The partnership was formalized through a memorandum of understanding signed on Nov. 5 by Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara and Save the Children Philippines Chief Executive Officer Atty. Alberto Jesus Muyot.
Department of Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara and Save the Children Philippines Chief Executive Officer Atty. Alberto Jesus Muyot sign a two-year Memorandum of Understanding to make schools safer, more inclusive, and responsive to every learner’s needs.
According to DepEd, bullying cases in the National Capital Region rose to 2,500 in School Year 2024–2025, up from 2,268 the previous year.
“These numbers are alarming and remind us that protection issues inside schools remain a serious concern. And this is only in Metro Manila. When a child bullies another, both the victim and the perpetrator need support. The goal is not to punish, but to help them heal and learn better ways to express themselves,” said Muyot.
Through the partnership, Save the Children will co-develop a training package that helps teachers provide appropriate support to children showing signs of stress, anxiety, or other mental health challenges. The training also strengthens teachers’ skills in socio-emotional learning or SEL—helping them guide children in understanding emotions, building empathy, and forming healthy relationships.
In consultations with children, some said they are bullied because they are “different”—for how they look, speak, or because of their gender identity or disability. Others said children who bully often do so because they face problems at home, have low self-esteem, or experience violence from adults themselves.
SEL gives children the foundation to manage emotions and handle conflicts in healthy ways. Teachers can apply this in simple classroom activities like helping students name their feelings, encouraging them to express gratitude, or guiding them to resolve disagreements calmly.
“Some teachers may think this is just another layer of work, but it’s not. Helping children build social and emotional skills goes hand in hand with academic learning. When teachers respond with kindness and understanding, they create classrooms where all learners feel safe, respected, and valued,” said Muyot.
Child protection is just one of several areas under the DepEd–Save the Children partnership. The collaboration also includes inclusive early childhood care and development, learning recovery, school health and nutrition, meaningful child participation, climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction, and education in emergencies.
“We thank the Department of Education for their trust and partnership. Together, we look forward to meaningful wins for and with children—ensuring that no learner is left behind because of discrimination, exclusion, or the growing risks from climate change,” Muyot said.
Save the Children Philippines continues to work with 12 regional and 60 division DepEd offices to help build schools where every child learns and thrives.
To learn more about how Save the Children Philippines’ programs help improve access to quality education for all children, visit www.savethechildren.org.ph.#