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It is with great pleasure that I attend the award ceremony of the schools that excelled in the competition for the promotion, communication and implementation of the policy for the prevention and management of school bullying, in the context of the prevention of violence and juvenile delinquency at school and the promotion of active citizenship, during the school year 2022-23.
This competition falls within the framework of the National Strategy for the Prevention and Management of Violence at School of the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth and the National Action Plan for the Prevention and Management of Crime of the Ministry of Justice and Public Order. As a result of the close cooperation between the two Ministries, the competition has now become an institution, greatly enhancing the promotion of pedagogical practices for preventing and addressing the phenomena of delinquency and violence at school.
Bullying, in all its forms, is the most widespread form of aggressive behaviour at school and is a major problem of concern to the State, placing its treatment at the top of its priorities. All forms of bullying behaviour, whether verbal, psychological, physical or online, become a threat to emotional well-being, learning and education and act as an obstacle to the achievement of learning objectives, as well as a negative factor in the quality of the school environment.
In the above context and on the basis of the Governance Programme, our proposals for the prevention and management of bullying aim at shaping an educational system in which every child, every young person has the opportunity to cultivate their talents and abilities to the fullest extent, within a human-centred learning environment, free of bullying behaviours.
School violence and juvenile delinquency, one of the most important parameters of a wider social problem, are unfortunately increasing, both internationally and in Cyprus. With this in mind, the Council of Ministers recently adopted a series of recommendations by the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth in an effort to reduce incidents of violence, delinquency and bullying in our schools. These recommendations, based on international research and literature, encourage and support a healthy school context of learning, socialisation and development for children. The measures and actions adopted, aim to move from traditional approaches to behaviour management to modern pedagogical models that focus on the mainly pedagogical role of the school, the relationships between students, teachers and parents, and the sense of security that should prevail in school spaces.
Considering that policies and laws have an impact and substantial influence when they are consciously implemented by those who serve education, it is imperative that each and every one of us reflect on our actions and behaviours in our practical efforts to reduce incidents of bullying. Of course, as I have pointed out many times in the past, the sad phenomena of violence, delinquency and bullying do not only affect the school, but also the family and society in general. Efforts to tackle and prevent violence must be targeted at various levels and form an integral part of a wider national policy. The cooperation between the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Justice in organizing this competition on the prevention and management of bullying is moving in this direction.
Dear children,
Our Ministry recognizes the multiple forms of diversity and seeks to ensure an environment of safety, respect and equality for all of you. We want you to be able to make the most of the educational opportunities available to you in inclusive and democratic environments, free from all forms of violence. Any manifestation of bullying behaviour must be identified, recognised and dealt with in a timely and decisive manner, which is why your contribution to the immediate management of any bullying behaviour is important.
We believe that the participation of schools in such a competition contributes to the formation of literate citizens, with social skills, responsibility, a democratic ethos and respect for the value of the uniqueness of each individual. The involvement of your schools in the competition creates a learning and teaching process that promotes the acquisition of knowledge, the development of attitudes, perceptions and social skills, as well as the expression of attitudes that promote and safeguard human rights, justice and equality. At the same time, the necessary interaction between the school, the community and the wider state is created and the values of democratic participation, inclusion, creativity, innovation and zero tolerance of all forms of violence are promoted in a coordinated manner by various actors in the school community.
It is for these reasons that I welcome and warmly congratulate the participation of schools in the Competition to promote the communication and implementation of policies for the prevention and management of bullying. In particular, I would like to commend the schools for the opportunity to express themselves through innovative actions.
I also congratulate the officials of the Council for the Prevention and Handling of Crime of the Ministry of Justice and Public Order as well as the officials of the Observatory for Violence at School of the Pedagogical Institute and the Educational Psychology Service for the implementation of the competition.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Already, through the policies adopted, significant steps have been taken. We recognize that more needs to be done. Undoubtedly, it would be desirable to eliminate any such phenomena. Our will to reduce bullying to a minimum, demonstrating zero tolerance towards it and towards any other form of racism, is a given. In this effort, I am confident that we have all of you as our allies to ensure a healthy and safe school environment for our students, for our children.
IP
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