In Latvia, cases of bullying in schools should not only be the responsibility of teachers and directors. Minister of Education Ilze Indriksonе believes that a specific specialist should be appointed in each municipality to monitor the resolution of such problems and assist children in crisis situations.
The new Minister of Education and Science, Ilze Indriksonе, intends to pay special attention to safety issues in schools, including the fight against bullying. In an interview with Latvian Radio, she stated that the existing system does not always allow for an effective response to cases of bullying and aggression among students, LETA reports.
According to the minister, one of the common problems remains the situation where a child involved in conflicts or systematically bullying other children is simply transferred to another school. This approach, Indriksonе believes, does not eliminate the problem but merely shifts it to another educational institution.
Currently, the primary responsibility for such situations effectively lies with school directors and teachers. However, the minister is convinced that this is not enough. In her opinion, a specific specialist should be appointed in each municipality to monitor such cases, coordinate assistance, and oversee how problems are resolved in different schools.
Indriksonе noted that many leaders of educational institutions and education departments do not always utilize all available opportunities and sometimes hesitate to take responsibility for difficult decisions.
At the same time, the Child Protection Center is ready to participate in resolving crisis situations, but it is important to clearly understand who is responsible for the problem at the local level.
What is important to know: the minister proposes not only to help children who have become victims of bullying but also to work with the aggressors themselves, as the reasons for such behavior are often linked to deeper issues.
According to Indriksonе, one cannot limit oneself to finding the guilty parties.
"No child is born bad," emphasized the minister, speaking about the need for timely support and assistance for both the affected children and those who exhibit aggression.
She also expressed her readiness to address this issue in the coming months together with municipalities. According to her, the summer holidays are a suitable time to prepare changes and develop new approaches before the start of the next school year.
The issue of safety in educational institutions has become one of Indriksonе's main priorities since taking office in the new government.
Earlier, the minister had already emphasized that schools need not only instructions for crisis situations but also practical training that will help children and teachers feel more confident in unusual circumstances.
If the initiative is implemented, the responsibility for preventing and addressing cases of bullying may for the first time be assigned not only to schools but also to specific representatives of municipalities.
