National Strategy to Combat School Violence
The Ministry of Education is set to launch a national strategy to protect schools from violence, as part of its efforts to address the phenomenon of violence in educational institutions and ensure a safe environment for students and educators.
Approach to Combating School Violence
The ministry indicated that this initiative is part of a national orientation aimed at treating the phenomenon of school violence in a comprehensive manner, based on prevention, awareness, and anticipation, through an educational, psychological, and social approach, rather than resorting to repressive solutions.
Objectives of the National Strategy
The national strategy is based on forming a new generation of learners equipped with several prevention tools, through the dissemination of a culture of dialogue in schools and positive difference, respect for others, free expression, and combating all forms of discrimination.
Minister of Education's Statement
The Minister of Education, Nourredine Nouri, emphasized during a national conference held this week in partnership with several national structures and international organizations that this strategy aims to provide a secure school environment, ensure a respectful framework for students based on dialogue and mutual respect, and promote learning.
Role of Educational Institutions
He noted that schools play a crucial role in educating students about noble values, acting as a favorable place for the development of their talents and the promotion of free thinking, specifying that the promotion of the educational sector includes not only educational reforms but also the protection of institutions from various challenges, primarily violence.
State's Interest in Student Safety
This approach illustrates the interest of the Tunisian state in student safety and learning, and is part of a process aimed at promoting the quality of education and safety in schools through an integrated educational approach combining prevention and awareness, which will be implemented with the participation of schools, families, and civil society.
Diagnostic of the Phenomenon
As part of the development of this strategy, the Ministry of Education made a diagnosis of the phenomenon of violence in schools through the collection and analysis of data and the enumeration of different forms of violence, both inside and outside schools, as part of a study conducted in collaboration with UNICEF, aiming to prepare a strategy that responds to the needs of fieldwork and regional specificities.
Study Results
The study results demonstrated that the overall rate of students exposed to physical violence reached 28.4%, divided between 12.5% who suffered violence once and 15.9% more than once, with a higher rate of exposure among boys than girls.
Violence in Schools
The study also revealed that about 40% of cases of physical violence suffered by students come from other students, both boys and girls, indicating that a significant portion of violent phenomena occurs within the school.
Locations of Violence
The data showed that 57% of cases of violence occur inside schools, 25.8% during classes, and 19.7% inside classrooms, with a notable increase during break times of 16.8%.
Violence on the Way to School
The study also revealed that 19.6% of cases of violence occur on the way to school, while 61.4% of students surveyed reported being victims of mockery or insults.
Axes of the National Strategy
The national strategy has planned to include several axes, notably the strengthening of a culture of non-violence within schools, supporting teachers' capacities in conflict management, and promoting psychological and social support mechanisms for students.
Mechanisms of Intervention
It is also planned that the strategy will establish mechanisms for early intervention in cases of detected violent behavior, adopt means of mediation and dialogue within the school, and improve coordination between the school, family, and specialized social structures.
Role of Family and Civil Society
The Ministry of Education indicated that this strategy will be realized according to a participatory approach, involving various stakeholders, including educators, administrators, parents, social assistants, and psychologists, as well as representatives of civil society, to ensure the effectiveness of the measures to be adopted.
Family's Role in Prevention
The ministry emphasized the role of the family in efforts to reduce violence in schools, estimating that prevention is a shared responsibility that goes beyond the school space.
Civil Society's Role
It also highlighted the role of civil society in accompanying, framing, raising awareness, and supporting programs that will be adopted within the framework of the national strategy.
Strategy Implementation
The Ministry of Education emphasized that this initiative aims to establish a comprehensive national strategy ready to be executed, which aims to protect schools and guarantee students' right to a secure education.
Evaluation and Adjustment
It specified that this strategy will be implemented progressively with the adoption of regular monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to assess its effectiveness and introduce necessary adjustments based on field data.
Minister's Statement on Partnership
In this context, the Minister of Education declared that "treating cases of violence requires a participatory approach," stressing the need to strengthen partnerships with other ministries and governmental and non-governmental structures.
Role of Other Ministries
The Ministries of Justice and Interior play an important role in protecting the school environment and combating all forms of violence and crime, in addition to organizing awareness campaigns for students and parents about the dangers of violent and risky behaviors.
Read also: 28.4% of students have been victims of physical violence in schools
