New laws to be introduced this month will compel schools to document all incidents for the first time.
There are about 200 suspensions every school year for bullying, however, the full extent of the problem is thought to be far greater.
There is no requirement at present for schools to report every occurrence. In addition, there are no detailed statistics for schools.
Periodic research is undertaken by the Department of Education into pupils’ bullying experiences. It collates annual statistics on the total number of suspensions and expulsions at schools, including those occurring as a result of bullying.
Now, the North’s education minister John O’Dowd is to table an anti-bullying bill at Stormont.
The legislation has three main objectives: it will provide a legal definition of bullying and also introduce a requirement for schools to record all incidents. Boards of governors will also be required to have specific responsibility for anti-bullying policy and practice in schools.
Mr O’Dowd’s department undertook a public consultation on the proposals earlier this year, receiving 4,860 responses.
More than 4,000 of these came directly from young people themselves.
Mr O’Dowd said that executive agreement has been obtained, allowing this important piece of legislation to proceed.
He added: “I hope that the Bill can be introduced to the Assembly on November 30 so that the legislation can be enacted within this Assembly mandate.”