Problematic behavior by students at primary, middle and high schools hit a record high of nearly 60,000 reported incidents in the 2008 academic year, according to a government survey released Monday.

There were 59,618 incidents reported, up 7,000, or 13 percent, from the previous academic year, with about 70 percent involving violence, the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry said based on its survey of problematic behavior at schools.

The victims in one in four such cases, excluding destruction of school property, were injured and received treatment at medical institutions, suggesting that many children are unable to control their emotions and end up physically hurting others.

Of the 59,618 incidents, 6,484 were reported at primary schools, while 42,754 cases were reported at middle schools, and 10,380 cases were reported at high schools.

The survey was conducted by the ministry through prefectural boards of education. It covers national and municipal public schools as well as private ones across the nation.

Students were the most frequent victims of violence, with 32,445 reported incidents of student-on-student violence. Meanwhile, there were 8,120 cases of violent acts perpetrated by students against teachers.

In 10,664 cases, the victims were treated at hospitals.

It was the first time that the ministry surveyed injuries from violence.

The survey also covered cases of bullying.

Schools detected 84,648 cases of bullying, down 30 percent from the 2006 academic year, when the figure hit a record high of about 125,000 cases.

Cyber-bullying accounted for 4,527 of the 84,648 bullying cases.

The ministry suspects schools are overlooking some cases of bullying.