The Ministry of Education proceeded to admit that the Services dealing with incidents of violence and delinquency in schools need to be strengthened so that they can respond even more to the important work they do. Especially today, when, as data and reports show, incidents of violence and delinquency within the school environment are on the rise.
Specifically, Minister Athena Michailidou referred to this issue, answering a relevant question from the chairman of the parliamentary committee on Human Rights, AKEL MP, Christos Christofides.
The answer reveals not only conclusions but also extremely interesting data, as specific numbers are cited and clear points are made about the need to staff and strengthen these Services.
Initially, it should be noted that Mr. Christofides' question concerned the staffing of the support services of the Ministry of Education, which deal in any way with the prevention and treatment of incidents of violence and/or delinquent behaviour in schools, the terms of reference of each service and the Ministry's view on the staffing of each service, whether it is considered adequate, in order for it to respond effectively and in a timely manner to its key tasks.
For her part, the competent Minister informed that the support Services that are responsible for preventing and dealing with incidents of violence and/or delinquent behaviour are the following:
>> Educational Psychology Service (IEPS)
>> Counseling and Vocational Education Service (YSEA)
>> Health Education and Citizenship Committee (EAYP)
>> Observatory for Violence at School (PAVIS)
>> Rapid Intervention Team (SoHO)
Ms. Michailidou recognizes the important work carried out by these Services as it is emphasized that "they work daily to strengthen and support the school units, with the ultimate goal of ensuring a safe school framework, which promotes the emotional well-being of all involved, as well as the unhindered learning and education of our students", however, it is pointed out that "in order for the work of the Services to become more targeted and for purposes of more immediate response and management of incidents of violence and delinquency, it becomes clear that their possible further reinforcement, with permanent or seconded staff, will further facilitate their work, with the direct recipients being the school units".
The "x-ray" of the Services
According to the official data submitted, the picture that prevails in every Service that deals with school violence and delinquency, at a time when incidents are increased, is the following:
>> EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY SERVICE
Total permanent staff: 52 officers (49 people on the basis of the Ministry of Health and three people in its administration). Also, 19 Permanent Employees and five Fixed-Term Employees are serving, while there are two vacant positions of Senior Educational Psychologist in the administration and one position of Educational Psychologist which is kept vacant, due to the assignment of duties by the Ministry of Education to the Pedagogical Institute.
The YEPS serves all levels of Public Education as well as private schools, subject to a prior request to the local District Committees for Special Education and Training.
The services provided are aimed at students, parents and teachers, either through individualized treatment of learning, emotional, social, adaptive and other difficulties or through preventive interventions, workshops and programs that cover the entire school population and/or targeted groups at school.
The main axes of action of the YEPS include: Psychodiagnostic assessment, counselling support, mental health promotion, teacher and parent training and crisis management.
To the question regarding the degree of satisfaction with the staffing of the Service, the answer was "very low". It was also pointed out that in two cities (Limassol and Paphos) there is a district office which, due to a lack in the Administration, is not staffed with a Senior Educational Psychologist (they replace Educational Psychologists), while Educational Psychologists have to manage a large workload from requests for student evaluations, as a result of which the possibility for preventive work in schools is not provided. Without time to invest in prevention, children's psychoeducational needs remain unmet.
"The heavy workload of both the people in the administration and the base, detracts from the quality of the work offered and lags behind the necessary supervision of the work (administration and base). The lack of a pyramid creates additional problems due to the lack of motivation for advancement," noted Ms. Michailidou.
>> COUNSELLING AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION SERVICE
Total staff: 234 people, of which 156 are permanent professors of SEA. 15 permanent probationary SEA teachers, 40 SEA teachers with a Contract or Indefinite Term status, 14 seconded SEA teachers, 11 SEA teachers assigned to the Central and District Education Offices, two of whom also serve in schools.
The mission of YSEA combines personal counselling with educational and vocational education/counselling, so that students and young people can recognize their needs, interests, inclinations and abilities, manage difficulties and make well-informed and free choices for their life, studies and professional career.
The main axes are, among others, self-awareness, self-acceptance and positive self-image, the development of skills to deal with personal, family and social difficulties, the smooth adaptation to the school environment and the strengthening of educational and social development, the cultivation of responsible and rational/appropriate decision-making skills, the exploration of possibilities, interests, skills and inclinations in combination with valid educational and professional information, the production of diverse teaching and educational material in general, the participation as an active Member of the National Lifelong Guidance Body, the participation in intra-departmental committees of the Ministry and others, for the management of various issues related to its responsibilities and also concern the exercise of Counselling and Vocational Education in schools and the management of service issues within the Ministry.
Regarding the degree of satisfaction with its staffing, the Minister states that in recent years there has been an increase in staffing in the positions of SEA teachers and that the increase in available staff has contributed to improving the ratio between placement hours and the number of students, enhancing the ability to provide counselling services. However, the special nature and specialization of this specialty create objective difficulties in terms of the full, balanced and continuous coverage of all school units.
It is also stated that in several cases, the available SEA teachers are required to cover two or even three school units at the same time, with the result that their presence in each school is not daily and the exercise of their duties is carried out on a more fragmented basis. Therefore, further strengthening staffing, combined with a more effective planning of the distribution of staff in schools, could contribute to ensuring greater continuity, availability and equity in the provision of relevant services.
>> HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP COMMITTEE
The total number of staff of the EAYP is three people. The central axis of its responsibilities is the coordination, on behalf of the Ministry of Education, of actions arising from the National Strategy for Tackling Addictions 2021-2028, in collaboration with the Cyprus Addictions Authority (AAEK) and other co-competent bodies.
In the school context, its contribution focuses primarily on prevention and strengthening the protective role of the school against addictive and other risky behaviours. In this context, the HAI contributes to the implementation of institutionalized procedures for prevention, management and referral, including the Protocol of Cooperation for the Prevention and Treatment of Illicit Substances of Addiction at School, as well as the Protocol for the Referral of students who exhibit addictive behaviours to specialized programs.
At the same time, the EAYP coordinates the action of Support for Children of Vulnerable Groups, through which the participation of students in creative activities outside school time is financed. From the current school year, it promotes, in collaboration with AAEK, the implementation of a Monitoring Form in school units to strengthen the implementation of the prevention policy on smoking, vaping and addictive behaviours.
And at this point, Ms. Michailidou states that the EAYP needs further staffing, due to the increased needs and the range of its responsibilities, as its strengthening will allow a more effective response to the growing needs of school units, as well as the further development and systematic monitoring of preventive actions and interventions.
>> OBSERVATORY ON VIOLENCE AT SCHOOL
Number of staff: Nine people, including one coordinator and eight officers. PAVIS offers training seminars, programs and workshops to teachers of all levels. It collects, records and analyses data on the extent and forms of violence at school.
It collects quantitative and qualitative data on good practices for preventing and dealing with delinquency and violence at school. Promotes systematic cooperation with teachers, social partners, governmental and non-governmental bodies and organizations and submits proposals for policy definition regarding the prevention and management of school violence.
It is noted that it has a range of action as well as during the current school year it offers various extremely important seminars, with the competent Minister stressing that "the need for further strengthening of the Service becomes clear".
>> IMMEDIATE INTERVENTION TEAM
Total number of staff: 12 seconded officers on full or partial secondment throughout Cyprus. In accordance with its terms of reference, the PLO provides direct cooperation and support to school units for the management and treatment of phenomena of school violence and extreme delinquency (vandalism, violence, aggression, serious refusal to comply with the regulations and the school's instructions, conflicts, grouping and fights, etc.) manifested by a student or group of students on the school premises.
Its main concern is to support school units in managing and dealing with serious incidents of school violence and delinquency and to empower students who are supported by the Alternative Study Program of the PLO, with the ultimate goal of smoothing out their negative attitudes and behaviours and improving the wider school climate.
In cases where it is called upon to intervene, the PLO works to develop, promote and monitor an Action Plan that includes educational and administrative actions aimed at a holistic approach and solution to the problem faced by school units. The Action Plan also includes a description of the problem, clear roles and implementation timelines with the commitment of all stakeholders.
The SoHO has a coordinating and supporting role in the organization and implementation of the Action Plan, contributing to its adjustment, where necessary. Within the framework of the Action Plan, the PLO cooperates with the school administrations and the teachers' board, the SEA teacher for Secondary Education, the relevant educational psychologist, the relevant inspector and the parents/guardians. In addition, it cooperates with other involved services or any other competent body, so that the management of school violence and delinquency phenomena is multi-level, interdisciplinary and multisystemic.
Regarding the key question, what is the degree of satisfaction with the staffing of the Service, the answer is: "The continuous increase in incidents of school violence and delinquency observed in recent years and the consequent increasing trend of intervention requests sent by school units to the OAP, makes it necessary to increase the number of its seconded officers, so that the response of the service becomes more immediate and effective".
A law proposal by Fotini Tsiridou puts a brake on organized cyberbullying
The Parliament is trying to put a brake on serious forms of online harassment and organized intimidation campaigns, with a proposal for a law by the chairwoman of the Legal Committee, Fotini Tsiridou. The proposal introduces new offences for behaviours that, through the internet and social media, can target specific persons and their families.
The proposed law comes to strengthen the existing legislative framework of 2021 on protection from harassment and harassing surveillance, attempting to cover the new forms of online targeting that have become possible due to technological development.
The focus is on two new specific offenses. The first concerns organized online targeting. In order for the offense to be established, it must be proven that there has been prior consultation or other coordinated action, knowledge of the organized nature of the conduct and substantial contribution of the accused to conduct that constitutes an offense.
However, any case in which several persons express the same or similar opinion about someone will not be considered organized targeting. The proposal makes it clear that a common purpose of harassing or intimidating a specific natural person is required.
The second offense concerns the malicious disclosure of identification or identification information, a practice that is internationally known as doxxing. The regulation concerns cases where, without the right, information such as the home address, current or usual location, personal telephone numbers, workplace information or details of minor family members are made public.
Criminalising behaviour requires that the disclosure is linked to the purpose of causing fear or harassment or that it is objectively capable of exposing the affected person or their family to real and serious danger.
The proposal does not replace legislation on the protection of personal data, but attempts to address the particular criminal merit when personal information is used as a tool for intimidation, harassment or endangerment.
Particular emphasis is placed on the protection of freedom of expression. The proposal provides for explicit safeguards for political criticism, journalistic research, satire, academic and scientific expression, as well as participation in public debate.
The rapporteur of the Law proposal, in her statements after the last meeting of the Committee, underlined that the criminalization of disagreement, intense confrontation or unpleasant criticism is not sought. "Legitimate criticism is protected. Criminally punishable harassment is dealt with on the basis of specific evidence that must be proven," he stressed.
As he mentioned, especially persons exercising public power should accept increased control and strict criticism, while freedom of expression and the protection of personality must coexist through the necessary balance.
The proposal also provides for graduated penalties and aggravating factors, including when false or multiple accounts are used, automated means for mass dissemination of content, or where the illegal behaviour continues despite a court order or a formal warning from a competent authority.
At the same time, judicial powers are strengthened, so that the cessation of illegal online behaviour and the removal or cessation of access to content that is under the control of the person involved and is prima facie part of the alleged harassment can be ordered.
The rapporteur expressed satisfaction with the attitude of the competent bodies, noting that the Legal Service, the Ministry of Justice and the Cyprus Bar Association were in favour of the proposal and welcomed it.
Christos Christofides: The National Strategy must have measurable goals, timetables and public accountability
Christos Christofides in his statement to "F" notes:
"For several years we have insisted that violence and delinquency in schools are not addressed with announcements, communication assurances and fragmented interventions. They need prevention, timely support for children and substantial strengthening of the services that are called upon to bear the burden of prevention and management.
The answer of the Minister of Education to my parliamentary question is revealing. The Ministry of Education itself recognizes that the Immediate Intervention Team needs more officers, because incidents of violence and requests from schools are increasing. It also admits that the Educational Psychology Service, the Observatory on Violence at School and the Health and Citizenship Education Committee need further strengthening," the MP said.
In addition, he added that "for Counselling and Vocational Education, the Ministry records that in several cases one teacher covers two or even three schools, with the result that the presence is not daily and the support is fragmented. These are not our estimates. These are the findings of the Ministry itself. When the needs are known, admission is not enough. A plan and implementation are required."
Besides, Mr. Christofides also referred to issues of legislation, noting characteristically: "Since 2023, we have been warning that the legislation on school violence remained inactive and we have been calling for substantial changes and implementation. The law was amended in 2024, but everyday life in schools still shows that prevention and support structures are not sufficient. The National Strategy 2024-2028 must acquire measurable goals, timelines and public accountability. Today it is essentially up in the air."
Regarding what is needed, Mr. Christofides referred to the immediate staffing of the OAP, school psychologists and prevention services with stable and specialized staff.
"Every school must have regular access to a psychologist and counsellor, clear protocols, early intervention and continuous cooperation with social and health services. There is also a need for systematic recording and evaluation of incidents and substantial training of teachers and parents. Safety at school is not ensured by strict announcements and statements on the part of the government after each incident. It is ensured when the state anticipates, supports and protects. Children, teachers and families cannot wait for another announcement," he said.
