Home » Reports/Newsletters » Newsletter 36

Megjashi with scandalous data on violence in schools Teachers still beat with stick

Valentina Stojanchevska

Mostly with slaps, but also with stick, chalk and kicks, teachers hit students in urban areas in Macedonia, showed the survey conducted by the First Children's Embassy Megjashi among 2.234 students. On the question "Does violence happen in your school?", as much as  56 percent of children responded affirmative, while 14 percent said it happens every day. The results showed that violence in secondary schools is by six percent more present than in the primary schools. School violence is also confirmed in the answer to the question of whether children know a child who has been hit by a professor, where 57 percent of the students responded positively, while being asked whether they know of cases of violence from a student over a teacher, 35 percent of the respondents provide positive answer. 
 
According to data obtained, within the family, most often violations of children's rights are made by the brother or sister, less by the parents, while their rights are mostly being respected by the grandparents. When their rights are violated, children usually turn to their family and less, in 25 percent turn to the help telephone lines and other institutions. 
 
According to the survey conducted by “Megjashi”, even 39 percent of the children think that sometimes, in some situations have been discriminated, while 40 percent feel that in some situations they were oppressed because of their age, social origin, ethnic group to which they belong, gender and religion. The field research was conducted by “Megjashi” from June 1st until 8th this year, including students from fifth to eighth grade in 41 primary schools and between students from first to third year in 24 high schools in seven cities in the country. 
 
That violation of children's rights has increased significantly, while centers for social work in Macedonia do not have enough capacity, desire, will and knowledge to timely detect it, was also alerted yesterday by the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights on the occasion of World Day of the Child, which is being celebrated today. Last year, Helsinki Committee in Macedonia registered 30 cases of violation of children's rights, but underlines that this year’s figures are much higher. 
 
- Macedonia must make a transformation in the social model, and despite the lack of commitment and political will to improve the situation - says Keti Andrievska-Jovanova from the Helsinki Committee. Jovanova added that they oversee the work of the social centers in the country, and identified a series of shortcomings and challenges that must be addressed for improving. 
 
- Appropriate professional staff, additional staffing, training, mobility on the field, as well as availability of the centers 24 hours a day, are only part of the challenges that need to be addressed – says Ana Stojkovik from the Committee. Regarding the latest case in which a seven years old child died after a brutal beating by his mother, the Committee noted that they analyze the case, but suspect that the centers for social care this time failed again and did not provide timely reaction to prevent the tragedy.

Students also do not remain debtors

Even 63 percent of the students responded that teachers often beat with them with a slap, 34 percent with a stick, 24 percent with a chalk and 15 percent with a kick. Besides physical violence, teachers also practice psychological violence over the children, by insulting them or by using rude names and nicknames.

Students, however, with 51 percent responded that they have used vulgar words to oppose to the teachers, 29 percent with a slap, 18 with a chalk, 17 with kicks and 16 percent with a stick.

http://vreme.com.mk/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabindex=13&tabid=1&EditionID=1871&ArticleID=127007