Filenews 1 January 2026 - by Ioanna Mantziipa
School bullying has now taken on scourge proportions, affecting more and more students at every level of school life.
It is no longer limited to classrooms and courtyards. It follows the children every step of the way, even during their journey by school buses, either on the way to the school units or on the way home.
Dealing with it requires coordinated action by schools, parents, the Police and the whole society, so that victims feel protected and perpetrators receive the appropriate consequences.
EMEL's Director of Development, Communication and Human Resources, Petros Theocharidis, describes to "F" how drivers manage such situations, as well as the measures implemented by the company to protect children. These incidents may not see the light of day, but several times social media posts or comments are made about bullying incidents, and in fact some of them happen on school buses.
Asked to list the incidents of bullying and the extent to which they occur, Mr. Theocharides notes that "they are increasing, especially in the first months of each new school year. It is a worrying and particularly sensitive issue in its management. This year we had to, in various cases, even cooperate with the Police."
In most cases, as he explains, the victims are A high school students who are bullied by older students. "In some cases, bullying is interracial in nature, while other times it concerns physical peculiarities. Dealing with them is difficult and also detecting them, especially if the parents are not informed."
The role of drivers
Drivers often witness such incidents, but they cannot always be aware of them. "On a bus with several students, these things happen in the back seats, under the cover of others who are standing in front," says Mr. Theocharidis. To protect students, EMEL applies practices such as transporting victims to the front seats, close to the driver. "This has a dual function. Provoking students think twice before taking action, while the driver can combine driving with protecting students," he emphasizes.
Cooperation is key
Informing schools and cooperating with parents and the Police are considered crucial. "Many times we inform the school. In Limassol, in the last two to three years, the interventions of the school administrations have been conclusive and there have been cases of expulsions. In severe cases, the problem was solved with the intervention of the parents of the students they cause," he explains.
In fact, as he notes, in some cases the presence of drivers, mainly in the Police, was needed: "It happened and it happens, and drivers and the management contribute as much as they can." EMEL has equipped almost all buses with cameras. "Through a procedure with the Police, findings can be made and those involved can be identified. The problem has become more noticeable in recent years, because children are now talking. In the past, they suffered on their own, without telling either the parents or the driver," he underlines.
"The 'pleasant' thing is that many classmates support the victims. With information and behaviours, they create a line of defense and protection for these children," says Mr. Theocharidis. Among other things, he emphasizes that there is another form of bullying, where some students insultingly harass female students. "This year, for the first time in a serious case, we had a ban on students getting back on buses."
Early intervention system
School bullying is now transferred outside of school, to student buses. EMEL has developed an early intervention system in collaboration with school administrations, the Police, parents and the active participation of drivers. The victims are usually A high school students, while "the age of the perpetrators decreases over time. Until two or three years ago, most of the perpetrators were high school students. This year, however, it is observed that students of the third grade of high school are also involved in incidents, while the victims are often the students of the first high school", underlines Mr. Theocharidis. As he points out in conclusion, awareness and early action can make a difference, preventing situations that could leave permanent trauma.
