Written Answers. - School Discipline.
John McGuinness
Ceist:
674
Mr. McGuinness
asked the
Minister for Education and Science
if he will establish an official role for the National Association for Prevention of Bullying in Schools, within his Department; if he will fund the organisation; an if he will meet the group to discuss their aims, work to date and funding requirements.
[16780/02]
My predecessor, Deputy Woods, met with representatives of the association in March 2002, following which a once-off grant of €10,000 was issued to the association.
I do not have plans to establish a direct role, funded by my Department, for the association on an ongoing basis.
This Department is probably unique among the country's Departments of State in the number and heterogeneous nature of its interest groups. The Department welcomes the increasingly important role played by the partners in education in the development of new initiatives and I wish to assure you that the Department is fully committed to ensuring that the education system continues to be developed on a partnership basis involving a full role for each of the partners through their relevant national representative associations.
The issue of bullying is one which has been, and continues to be, addressed by my Department on several fronts.
In 1993 my Department issued guidelines on countering bullying behaviour to all primary and post-primary schools. The purpose of the guidelines was to assist schools in devising school based measures to prevent and deal with instances of bullying behaviour and to increase awareness of the problem among school management authorities, staff, pupils and parents. A further circular in 1994 reminded school authorities of their responsibility in formulating a written code of behaviour and discipline, which should include specific measures to counter bullying behaviour. Individual school management authorities are responsible for implementing effective policies to counter bullying in schools.
The report on discipline, commissioned by my Department, and completed by Dr. Maeve Martin deals comprehensively with the issue of discipline in schools, and sets out models of best practice in this area. A copy of the report has been made available to all schools.
Bullying is also addressed in the social, political and health education, SPHE, curriculum in both primary and second level education. In primary education, the issue of bullying is addressed in the SPHE curriculum in the strand, Myself and Others, from infant classes onwards. In second level education, the issue of bullying is addressed from first year onwards in the SPHE curriculum at junior cycle, in the module on belonging and integrating.
Furthermore, where staff within my Department receive telephone calls regarding instances of bullying, advice and assistance is offered by staff to the callers. In addition, my Department will examine specific complaints regarding alleged instances of bullying behaviour, but only after every effort has been made at school level to resolve the matter.
The national educational psychological service is also available as a support service to schools in relation to individual students who encounter difficulties.
Question No. 675 answered with Question No. 664.
