Ministry of Education set to confront rising school bullying incidents

The Federation of Parents of Secondary Education anticipates a meeting with the Minister of Education, joined by key stakeholders, to address the growing concern about bullying in schools. This decision comes in response to a surge in reported incidents and the absence of a systematic mechanism for documenting and addressing them. While the specific meeting date is yet to be confirmed, Athena Michailidou, the Minister of Education, has responded positively to their request.

Loizos Konstantinou, the president of the Federation, revealed in a statement to DIASPORA NEWS and Oriana Papantoniou that there has been a noticeable rise in cases of violence, both physical and psychological, particularly within high schools this year. He attributed this trend to a combination of factors, including the transitional impact of COVID-related home confinement, changes in age demographics, and various societal issues.

Konstantinou highlighted the longstanding nature of the bullying issue, emphasizing that legislation passed in 2020 should now be enforced. He further pointed out that in many schools, incidents of bullying are often hushed up by school principals out of fear of tarnishing the institution's reputation. This lack of reporting, he argued, leads to a lack of awareness within the Ministry of Education. Among their demands, organized parents are calling for proactive measures that avoid labeling students as either victims or perpetrators.