Phase 2 of bullying prevention programme

The Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood has completed the second phase of a bullying prevention programme for Ministry of Education schools, in co-operation with the UNICEF Bureau for Arabian Gulf countries.

As part of the programme, training was held for various school committees from 36 schools in Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Qaiwain, Ras al-Khaimah and Fujairah, which targeted 111 school principals, academic guides and nurses.

Reem Al Falasi, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, highlighted the directive from H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union (GWU), Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF) and President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, to implement this programme as the first of its kind in the world. She acknowledged its important role in protecting students and teaching them positive behaviours, guiding them to avoid anything that may negatively affect their education.

All participating schools will be honoured at the end of the current school year by the Ministry of Education and the Abu Dhabi Education Council, she said.

She added that the number of participating schools in the current year had increased by 24 Ministry of Education public and private schools, which will join the first group of 12 schools from the previous school year.

The programme will include training for school committees of social workers, nurses, school activities officers and school under-secretaries from schools selected by the Abu Dhabi Education Council and the Ministry of Education. They will be trained on topics such as different types of bullying, early detection, intervention and how to implement the programme using two UNICEF manuals on social skills and combatting bullying.

The project also aims to raise awareness for parents and children about the effects of bullying. During the 2015/2016 school year, the programme trained some 130 teachers and 1,793 students, with 52 percent of students being female, while 48 percent were male.

The Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood rolled out the first phase of the project in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and the Western Region. The number of participating students from both public and private schools has since increased to include students from Grades 6 to 9, while the total number of participating Abu Dhabi schools reached 28 in the 2016/2017 academic year. This number includes 10 schools from the first phase, plus 10 new government schools and 8 new private schools.