The Ministerial Decision on the new pedagogical measures established by the Ministry of Education to fight school violence and bullying.

Within this context, the platform also works stop-bullying.gov.gr, which, according to what the minister, Kyriakos Pierrakakis, said in a relevant post on social media, in less than three weeks has received 148 references by parents and students.

“Our goal at the Ministry of Education, Religion and Sports is to protect every student from intra-school violence and bullying. We continue to implement our strategy, so that no child is alone in the face of incidents of bullying.” said Mr. Pierrakakis.

In more detail, the Ministerial Decision institutionalizes part of the measures announced by the Minister of Education, Religion and Sports Kyriakos Pierrakakis, at an event on April 9, 2024, in the presence of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Thus, the new framework for pedagogical measures is as follows:

* Expulsion from courses of up to three (3) or up to (5) days as the case may be is introduced, whereas until now expulsion from courses of one (1) or two (2) days was foreseen.

* The measure of hourly removal, exclusion from actions, events and activities organized by the school as well as the change of department, which were not foreseen in the current framework, is introduced.

* The procedure for implementing the school environment change measure becomes more flexible.

* In the case of recording, photographing or videotaping a teacher or student, the measure of suspension from classes is imposed for up to three (3) or up to five (5) days, depending on the severity of the incident. In case the incident concerns particularly sensitive personal data, then the pedagogical measure of changing the school environment is applied.

Finally, the procedure for reimbursing expenses for damage/destruction, total or partial, caused by students to school buildings, premises and their annexes, as well as to the logistical infrastructure and equipment within them, is regulated, whichever is undertaken to be paid by the parent/guardian or the student himself, if he is an adult, or, otherwise, it is confirmed and the procedure for its collection is followed.

The national strategy to combat school violence and bullying will be fully implemented at the start of the new school year.

Finally, it is recalled that the measures that have been launched include:

* Two training programs for the Education Consultants, the four-member action groups in each directorate, the Directors of 14,000 School Units and the Responsible Receivers of Reports.

* Introduction of the Active Citizen Actions program (Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle School, 1st High School, 4 hours per month).

* Horizontal (in all subjects) training of students in life skills from kindergarten to the 1st grade of Lyceum.

* New School Operating Regulations.

* Restoring the distinction between excused and unexcused absences.