2 min read
20th June 2019

England Worst Place For Student Cyber–Bullying

cyber crime

A global education report, from the OECD, has found that England is the World's worst for cyber-bullying of students.

The survey, which is carried out every 5 years, questioned over 250,000 teachers from 48 Countries about their experiences as teachers.

It highlighted a particular problem for England, regarding cyber-bullying of students.

Andreas Schleicher the Division Head of the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment said:

"It's the dark side of the modern age."

He called for a stiffening up of social media regulations, rather than relying on individual teachers and heads to cope.

Internet Bullying/Cyber-Bullying/Online Bullying

The Teaching and Learning International Survey on behalf of OECD, looked at the working lives of teachers around the world, with only England participating from the UK.

The survey, indicated increased bullying in England's schools - driven by harassment and bullying online, often caused by social media.

Of the heads in England surveyed:

  • 14% faced problems each week caused by "hurtful" material posted about pupils, compared with an international average of 2%, with the United States having the next highest proportion - 10%
  • 27% faced problems each week caused by pupils receiving "unwanted contact" online - in the form of cyber-bullying, compared with an international average of 3%, with Australia having the next highest proportion - 16%

Mr Schleicher said:

"It's clearly about social media."

The OECD education expert Mr Schleicher has warned that education around the world has to find ways of dealing online and social media bullying.

Lack of regulation of social media in England has left schools having to find their own solutions.
He said:

"I don't think it's something we can ignore and let individual schools sort out."

The abusive use of social media is hindering learning, apart from the sheer emotional harm that online bullying inflicts, and the issue needs to be addressed at a wider level.

A Dearth Of Teaching Staff Is A Contributing Factor

It has been highlighted that England is suffering a significant shortage of teachers.

In England, head teachers are more likely to report that the lack of qualified teachers was their biggest problem.

It is indicated that England is far and above what is typical for the rest of the developed countries in the survey in the lack of qualified teachers.

To improve recruitment, pay should not be the main priority, making teaching more intellectually attractive, with scope for professional development, leading to a job profile that is an attractive professional career.

Teachers in England, with 50 hours per week, worked among the longest hours of any developed countries.

Much of this time, however, seems to be administration or other extra-curriculum work, as in terms of teaching hours, England was below average.

Paul Whiteman, leader of the National Association of Head Teachers, said:

"Teachers are graduates who have many career choices open to them.

We have to treat them well and respect their need for a work-life balance, if we expect them to stay."

Education Secretary Damian Hinds said:

"These findings reflect many of the frustrations that I heard from teachers and heads when I first took on the role of Education Secretary and underlines the importance of the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategy, that I launched in January of this year.

We know that too many teachers are having to work too many hours each week on unnecessary tasks, which is why I have taken on a battle to reduce teachers' workload so that they can focus on spending their time in the classroom doing what they do best - teaching."

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