Effective programme developed in Finland to reduce bullying in schools

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The initial results of a special programme directed against school bullying indicate that the campaign has been effective.
      The anti-bullying programme entitled KiVa Koulu was piloted in a number of schools across Finland during the school year from 2007 to 2008. KiVa is an acronym from the Finnish words ”kiusaamista vastaan” (”against bullying”), while the word ”kiva” itself means ”nice”.
      The KiVa Koulu programme reduced the number of pupils repeatedly bullied and those bullying others by some 40 per cent over the school year.
      Moreover, even the studying atmosphere and motivation improved in the pilot schools.
     
The positive results were seen in the pupils’ own assessments of their situation as well as in those made by their classmates.
      Furthermore, teachers in the pilot schools also became more capable of recognising bullying compared with their colleagues in control schools.
      According to researchers, the results of the programme, which was developed by the University of Turku with funding from the Ministry of Education, are of international significance as well.
     
The measures in the anti-bullying programme targeting all pupils include lessons in which bullying-related themes are addressed through discussion and exercises. An anti-bullying computer game launches pupils on a quest to help their bullied friends in a virtual school setting. The programme also makes use of interventions which are undertaken when instances of bullying are discovered for example during breaks.
     
The KiVa Koulu programme was piloted with more than 4,000 fourth, fifth, and sixth graders in a number of Finnish comprehensive schools during the last two school terms from 2007 to 2008. A total of 39 pilot schools participated in the first phase of the programme across Finland. The number of control schools was also 39, spread all over the country.
      This autumn, a similar pilot project will be started among first to third graders and seventh to ninth graders, whereafter the campaign is to be expanded further.
      The aim is to make the KiVa Koulu programme available to all schools in Finland in 2009.
      ”We have finally found a tangible and effective tool to root bullying out of our schools”, said Minister of Education Sari Sarkomaa (National Coalition Party) on Wednesday when the results of the campaign were made public.
     
According to surveys, the number of pupils repeatedly bullied in Finnish schools is some 10 to 20 % per cent of all primary school pupils and 5 to 10 % of all lower secondary school pupils.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Schoolyard bullying often leads to cyber bullying (23.11.2007)

Links:
  Ministry of Education: KiVa School programme developed in Finland delivers a marked reduction in bullying

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