Prevent Bullying Early UMPO Service Team Educates Students of MIM 7 Sidoharjo Pulung

UMPO.AC.ID – A community service team from Universitas Muhammadiyah Ponorogo (UMPO) carried out an anti-bullying awareness program at Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Muhammadiyah (MIM) 7 Sidoharjo, Pulung District, Ponorogo. The activity was held under the theme “Preventing Bullying through Educational Media and Strengthening Counseling Services” as an effort to create a safe, comfortable, and child-friendly learning environment.

Bullying prevention among elementary school students is crucial, as such behavior can cause serious negative impacts—especially on psychological, social, and academic aspects. At the SD/MI level, bullying often appears in physical forms such as hitting, pinching, or extortion, and verbal forms such as mocking, insulting, or spreading rumors. Victims often experience anxiety, fear, loneliness, low self-esteem, and a decline in social skills and academic performance. These conditions can hinder the character and mental development of children who are still forming their personalities.

Through this program, the UMPO team provided education to students, teachers, and parents on how to recognize, prevent, and respond to bullying at an early stage. The session was delivered interactively using engaging educational media, making the anti-bullying message easier for children to understand and internalize.

In addition to awareness-building, the activity also emphasized the importance of optimizing the Guidance and Counseling (BK) services at schools. Guidance teachers play a strategic role in providing information, individual and group counseling, as well as mediating between perpetrators and victims of bullying. By strengthening the counseling function, schools are expected to build an inclusive and respectful learning environment that supports students’ holistic growth and development.