The King’s Prosecutor at the Rabat Court of Appeal, Abdelaziz Raji: School violence is a worrying phenomenon that threatens the psychological and physical safety of learners

Speaking during a meeting of the Regional Commission for the Care of Women Victims of Violence, Mr. Raji stressed that this phenomenon prevents the school from fulfilling its noble mission of educating a responsible citizen, adding that any harm to this mission requires a serious mobilization of all stakeholders.

In this context, during the meeting held under the theme “Violence in the school environment: means of prevention and the activation of mechanisms for supporting its victims”, he noted that violence in schools takes several forms: physical, verbal, psychological or symbolic, and may be exercised between students, or by students toward educational and administrative staff, or vice versa.

Mr. Raji also stressed that justice plays a fundamental role in protecting young people, through the application of the law, the strengthening of a culture of prevention, and the consolidation of the principle of educational responsibility, which takes into account the best interests of the child and contributes to reform before punishment. He highlighted the commitment of the Regional Commission for the Care of Women Victims of Violence at the Rabat Court of Appeal to place the child at the center of its priorities, whether the child is a victim or in conflict with the law.

For his part, psychologist Reda Mhasni explained that violence is the result of a deficit in emotional regulation, when the learner fails to understand his emotions or manage them in a constructive way, noting that family, social and cultural factors often intersect in shaping this behavior.

In this regard, he called for the implementation of a national plan to combat school violence, with the contribution of all stakeholders and concerned parties, while ensuring the integration of regular programs into school curricula and the building of a psychological culture within schools.

For his part, the member of “Espace Maroc cyberconfiance youth”, Ayoub Lechgar, stressed that children face several challenges and risks in the school environment, including peer bullying, physical or psychological violence, as well as the transfer of certain forms of violence from the real world to the digital space, including cyberbullying, online harassment, as well as the sharing of images and videos without authorization, and threats and blackmail.

He also highlighted the need to establish permanent digital safety awareness programs, calling for children to be involved in developing the solutions that concern them, for strengthening the role of educational staff in preventing harassment and violence, and for providing digital platforms and reporting mechanisms that are clear, safe, child friendly and that guarantee the protection of victims.

The meeting was marked by several presentations and interventions focused on the phenomenon of school violence, particularly the efforts deployed by the Regional Academy of Education and Training of the Rabat Salé Kénitra region to prevent and combat manifestations of violence in this environment, their psychological impact on children and on the educational climate, as well as the promotion of positive behavior in schools in order to guarantee a safe school environment.

Editorial team/le7tv