Almost 14,500 students from Balears have participated in talks on coexistence and improving safety in educational centers

Bullying, the addition to new technologies, drug use, violence against women and gender discrimination are the main areas on which schools and institutes seek advice from their students.

Some 14,500 students from Primary, ESO, Baccalaureate and FP of Balears participated during the first quarter of this course in one of the training talks given in educational centers of Illes Balears by the Security Forces and Corps. In total, almost 800 sessions have been held, most of which relate to issues related to bullying and cyberbullying, as well as to the prevention of drug use and the addition to new technologies, according to the assessment made at the last follow-up meeting of the Master Plan for Coexistence and Improvement of Security in schools and their environments, held recently.

Other aspects about which the schools and institutes of the archipelago request training are those related to violence against women and discrimination on the basis of sex or sexual orientation, and the unconscionable conduct associated with racism, xenophobia or any other type of intolerance. In addition, there have been talks aimed at guiding students about risky criminal behaviour and promoting responsibility and other positive attitudes such as equality, respect and coexistence.

The follow-up of the Master Plan for Coexistence and Improvement of Security in Educational Centers and their environments reflects the growing interest in this type of training activities, as an important work to reinforce and support the pedagogical work that is developed in these stages of education: this has meant that more and more resources are allocated to its implementation. Last year the volume of talks carried out experienced a notable increase, coinciding with the strengthening of coordination between the High Inspection of Education in the Balearic Islands, the Unit Against Violence on Women of the Government Delegation in the Balearic Islands, the Ministry of Education and Professional Training of the Balearic Government, the National Police, the Civil Guard, the Institute of Public Security in the Balearic Islands and the Citizen Security Area of the City of Palma.

The Confederation of Parents’ Associations (COAPA) also participated in this last meeting in Balears. Its incorporation into these coordination meetings of the master plan is intended to bring to families the actions developed and promote greater participation of the entire educational community to improve its effectiveness.