LookAtVietnam – Students have been left feeling vulnerable as weapons at school are on the increase.

Pham Van Chinh, who was attacked by classmates in May 2009

Elsewhere, a student was stabbed twice by classmates in May 2009. Another, only last month, was assaulted by his peers.

It seems students nowadays are taking more than books and pens to school as reports increase of pupils carrying weapons. Other students are complaining they feel vulnerable while studying.

In May 2009, Pham Van Chinh, a 12th grade student of Dao Duy Tu High School in Dong Hoi City was attacked by classmates and other youths with swords and sticks right in the front of the school. At that time, pupils and the school’s students were arriving to take the semester-end exams.

Chinh was beaten because he refused to let classmate Dung copy his exam papers. Dung threatened to ‘punish’ Chinh for this and Chinh had to ask his uncle to go to the afternoon exam with him. However, while the Uncle managed to help him avoid the worst of it, Chinh still received blows on the head forcing him to miss the exam and head for a hospital.

On September 27, at Quang Ninh High School, Vo Thanh Dat, an 11th grade student was stabbed twice in the chest after a quarrel.

Ho Van Quyet, a 9th grade student was just leaving An Ninh School on September 1 when a group of youths attacked him. Two passing farmers, who tried to stop the fight, also suffered blows with one ending up in hospital.

Duong Hoai Phuong, Headmaster of Quang Ninh High school says violence in on the rise which has caused fears among teachers and students. Phuong said in September alone, the school examined students’ handbags and seized 70 weapons including knives, cudgels and sticks.

In August and September alone, nine cases occurred in the An Ninh Commune with minor disagreements ending with fights and wounds.

Increasingly there is more serious problem whereby not only were young boys fighting each other, parents are also were getting involved. On September 19, hundreds of men jumped into a brawl, because they thought they needed to protect their children.

One high school student said that he is now afraid of going to school, since his classmates may fight each other at any time. He says: “I know some of my friends think they are gangsters and bring sticks and swords in their school bags.”

VietNamNet/DT