POED survey highlights concerns over school violence in Cyprus

The Pancyprian Federation of Independent Trade Unions (POED) released the results of a survey conducted among 1,017 primary school teachers regarding school violence and delinquency. The data indicates that 95% of teachers believe such incidents have increased, while 55% report feeling unsafe at their workplace. Furthermore, 53% of participants expressed that schools are not always safe environments for students. In response to these findings, the organization launched a ten-day awareness campaign titled "Enough! Zero tolerance for school violence." The campaign includes various symbolic events, such as informative stations, sports activities with the slogan "Red card to school violence," and marches. POED argues that existing prevention measures are insufficient and that students and teachers often lack necessary support. The organization is pressuring the state to implement more effective policies to manage and prevent these incidents. The press conference took place in Nicosia, where the union emphasized the urgent need for a more robust systemic response.