The Minister of Education, Kyriakos Pierrakakis, referred to the new anti-violence measures as part of the national campaign for the eradication of violence in schools, in an interview granted to state broadcaster ERT on Tuesday.
The minister emphasized that “it’s essential to first identify the nature of each incident—whether it’s physical, psychological, or cyberbullying—and then “implement a comprehensive training program for educators.”
In response to serious school violence, Pierrakakis announced that the education directorate will have a four-member team of psychologists and social workers. This collaborative effort between the directorate and schools is deemed essential. Furthermore, a seven-member expert committee exists within the Ministry of Education.
With regards to the digital platform for reporting school bullying incidents, the minister noted that at the heart of the measures is the described platform, which was mandated by a previous law. Its design is now complete, enabling parents or high school students to log in. They can record details of bullying incidents, including type, frequency, and the school involved.
Pierrakakis also mentioned that parents will be able to track their children’s progress and absences through an application.
Furthermore, regarding psychologists in schools, he noted, “The number has doubled since 2019, starting with 2,000 positions when we took office, now nearly reaching 4,000 for psychologists and social workers. It’s deemed sufficient and will see further improvements. Our priority is to maximize coverage with our skilled personnel. Therefore, forthcoming regulatory adjustments will guarantee optimal school coverage by psychologists and social workers.”
