Athens, Greece. A survey by primary school teachers’ union Poed found that 95% of 1,017 participating teachers reported an increase in incidents of school violence and delinquency. The union said the findings show a particularly worrying scale of the problem.
Survey findings and safety concerns
Poed said the rise in violent and delinquent behaviour in recent years is “one of the most serious challenges that public schools are called upon to manage”. According to the survey, 55% of teachers do not always feel safe at work, while 53% believe school is not always a safe environment for children.
Types of incidents reported
The survey found verbal violence was the most common form of student behaviour, reported by 63% of teachers, followed by physical violence (59%), vandalism (31%), and online violence (13%).
Violence directed at teachers
The survey also reported incidents involving teachers, with 29% citing inappropriate behaviour by students, 12% reporting threats of physical violence, and 9% reporting actual physical violence against teachers.
Union call for government action
Poed said that while some preventive measures and management tools have been introduced, they are insufficient. The union said children remain without support for long periods, the quality of education is undermined, and teachers are left to manage incidents without substantial or timely support, contributing to burnout.
Poed called on the government to invest in “targeted policies and substantive measures” to support public schools, saying the issue cannot be addressed through “piecemeal interventions”. It said effective prevention and management requires a holistic and systematic approach with timely and substantial intervention by relevant services.
Do you think schools in your area have sufficient support to prevent and manage violence and delinquency?
