The protector of human rights and freedoms recommended the Ministry of Education to take actions and measures at the beginning of the new school year to raise the level of security in schools and to establish permanent cooperation with the police and centers for social work.
This is a recommendation after investigating the case of violence in the "Radojica Perović" elementary school in Podgorica from March of this year, when a group of minors entered the educational institution unhindered, and one of them beat a thirteen-year-old student during class.
The protector recommended to the Podgorica school that the professional service talk to the child who suffered violence and, if they deem it necessary, provide help and support, as well as to increase the duty in the school and yard in order to achieve greater safety for students and employees.
"Based on the conducted investigation, it is established that on March 28, 3, violence took place in the Radojica Perović primary school in Podgorica, when a minor who was not a student of that school beat a student during the teaching process, which the student's safety was threatened and his rights to protection from any form of violence in the educational institution were violated," states the opinion signed by the deputy protector Snezana Mijušković.
The institution of the Protector reminds that based on the school's statement, the minor entered the school unnoticed, approached the student who was in the hall, dragged him into cabinet number 15 and started beating him, while the Russian language teacher who heard the noise from the neighboring classroom helped the student , separated him from the attacker and thus prevented greater consequences.
In a statement to "Vijesta", immediately after the incident, the school management announced that the violence happened in the school corridor, in front of the classroom, although the parents claimed that it happened in the classroom.
In the protector's opinion, it is written that the school informed the parents of the student who suffered violence and that he was taken to a health facility, then the police, and later the Podgorica Security Department filed a criminal complaint against the minor.
"The school points out in its statement that they are taking measures regarding the safety of the students and that the presence of the school police officer in the school yard will improve the situation. However, it was not stated whether, in order to overcome the traumatic event, counseling work was carried out or planned with the student who suffered violence", the opinion reads.
The institution of the Protector emphasized that the fact that the violence happened in the school, at a time when the students were in class, and that a boy who is not a student of that school entered unnoticed and attacked and beat a student and injured him in one of the offices is of concern.
"The fact is that not all negative situations or events can be predicted or prevented, but the safety of students and employees must be taken into account with increased attention. We are of the opinion that it is therefore necessary to perform permanent duty both in the hall and in the school yard, so that the teachers on duty could react in time and prevent such events, as well as greater consequences, because otherwise, they could still enter the yard or school persons who are not students of the school or hooligans and disrupt order and peace and endanger the safety of everyone in the school," the document states.
They remind that cases of peer violence are happening more and more often in schools and yards, the age of the perpetrators is decreasing and that it is necessary to consider what are the causes and who, apart from parents, bears the responsibility to prevent, suppress and promote different and non-violent methods of resolving disagreements, the development of tolerance and peer support.
They pointed out that a team to fight against violence and vandalism should be established in schools, whose members will be teachers, educators, professional associates, as well as psychologists and pedagogues.
Bonus video:
