CNI News
3 February 2026
The growing frequency of brawls, violence, and bullying among students in Myanmar's basic education schools has prompted educators and political observers to question the root causes of this trend.
Recent tragic incidents have highlighted the severity of the issue: On January 27, 2026, a student died following a fight at Basic Education High School (1) in Shwepyitha Township, Yangon Region.
On January 15, 2026, a Grade-12 female student was reportedly raped at Aung Myay Thit Private High School in Taunggyi, Southern Shan State.
Lack of Parental Supervision and Emotional Support Dr. Nyo Nyo Thin, founder of the Yangon Watch group, told CNI News that a lack of adequate care and quality family time is a major contributing factor to youth violence.
A student using a mobile phone inside a classroom.
"Bullying in schools has always existed, but parents are becoming increasingly concerned lately. From a psychological perspective, I believe students are projecting their frustrations with their parents onto weaker peers at school. While this doesn't apply to all, many parents are struggling so hard for their daily livelihoods and economic survival that they have less time to provide sufficient love and attention to their children," she explained.
The Influence of Social Media Dr. Aye Maung, Chairman of the Arakan Front Party (AFP), emphasized that social media platforms now exert an immense influence on the youth. He urged the new government to systematically supervise social media usage alongside maintaining school discipline.
A group of female students seen at a school.
"In our era, school education heavily influenced social life. The supervision of teachers was vital to discipline. Now, social media has taken over. We need age restrictions on electronic device usage and must reintegrate traditional ethics (Loka Niti) into the school curriculum. Furthermore, the government needs to fulfill the infrastructural and resource requirements of schools," Dr. Aye Maung said.
Imitation of Media Violence
Political observers also pointed out that youth are increasingly exposed to domestic and foreign films depicting gang violence and bullying via social media. They warned that young people may be mistakenly imitating these harmful behaviors seen on screen.
