25/04/2026
What becomes clear from all these numbers is not just the scale of the problem, but the missing layer in how we approach it.
Children are expected to “behave”, teachers are expected to “manage”, and parents are expected to “support”. But very few are actually trained for what happens in real moments of tension, escalation, or boundary violations.
For a child, this shows up as confusion. When is something too far? What do I say? What do I do?
For a teacher, it becomes constant pressure without the right tools.
This is where practical, scenario-based training makes a difference. Not theory, but real preparation for real situations. Early recognition, clear boundaries, and confident responses.
If this is not systematically integrated into schools, the system will keep reacting instead of preventing.
Sharp rise in school violence reported by teachers in Cyprus
A recent nationwide study by POED (Pancyprian Organization of Greek Teachers) presents a troubling picture of school life in Cyprus, based on responses from 1,017 primary education teachers.
24/04/2026
From a child’s perspective, this is not a policy issue. It is a daily reality they have to navigate on their own.
Most children are never shown what to do when a situation starts to feel “off”. They hesitate, they freeze, or they react too late. Not because they lack character, but because no one has prepared them.
A child needs to learn, step by step, how to recognize when a boundary is being crossed, how to express that boundary clearly, and how to protect it without escalating the situation. And if necessary, how to defend it.
These are practical skills that can be trained through guided, realistic scenarios.
When a child knows what to do, you see it immediately. The way they stand, the way they speak, the way they decide. Situations that used to escalate often stop much earlier.
This kind of training should not be optional or isolated. It needs to be implemented across schools. The initiative can start from government level, but it also depends on schools and all involved parties to actively invite specialists who combine solid theoretical understanding with hands-on, scenario-based training. That is how children become ready when it actually matters.
Survey finds 95 per cent of teachers report rise in school violence, delinquency.
07/04/2026
Over 500 reported incidents.
And yet, this number does not reflect reality.
In every country where similar studies are conducted, the majority of cases remain unreported.
Children stay silent.
Parents are often unaware.
Schools only see what surfaces.
So the real number is not 500.
It is significantly higher.
But there is an even more important point behind these statistics.
We are still trying to solve the problem at the level of the incident.
Intervention. Punishment. Reporting.
All necessary.
But not sufficient.
Because the core issue is rarely addressed:
Children are not systematically taught how to handle pressure.
What does that mean in practice?
It means most children: • do not recognize early warning signs in social situations
• do not know how to set clear boundaries
• do not know how to respond when someone tests or crosses those boundaries
• escalate too quickly… or freeze completely
So the pattern repeats.
Different class. Different school. Same dynamics.
If we want to reduce these numbers in a meaningful way, the focus has to shift:
from reacting to incidents → to building capability before they happen
This includes: • learning to read situations early
• developing verbal assertiveness
• practicing calm, structured responses under pressure
• understanding how social dynamics actually work among children
These are not personality traits.
They are skills.
And like any skill, they can be taught, practiced and improved.
The conversation should not only be:
“How do we stop violence when it happens?”
But also:
“How do we prepare children so they are less likely to become victims or participants in the first place?”
Curious to hear how others see this.
A total of 510 incidents of violence were reported in 98 schools taking part in a survey for the 2024-2025 academic year, a safe school group report made public on Tuesday said. Questionnaires were sent out to all public schools, however only 10.85 per cent of primary schools, 42.24 per…
