With the number of bullying incidents at schools reaching an all-time high, the government held a meeting of relevant ministries and agencies on the 22nd to strengthen countermeasures, and decided to revise its policy on countermeasures.
According to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the number of cases of bullying reported by schools nationwide last year was 681,948, and the number of cases recognized as ``serious situations'' such as suicide or refusal to attend school was 923, both the highest ever. It has become.
Under these circumstances, the government is holding a liaison meeting with related ministries and agencies, including the Children and Families Agency, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and the National Police Agency, and at the meeting on the 22nd, the initiatives of each ministry and agency for 2023 were reported.
Among them, the Children and Families Agency conducted a survey last year on 131 students from elementary school to high school age about bullying and school refusal, and found that those who answered that they had seen or heard of so-called "cyberbullying"
It was reported that
29% were elementary school students
and 36% were junior high school students or above .
In addition, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology reported that it is considering how to proceed with investigations in order to revise guidelines to promptly proceed with investigations when "serious situations" such as suicide or school refusal occur.
In addition,
the government has also revised its policy on 14 countermeasures,
including strengthening cooperation with the police in cases where criminal activity is suspected and
promoting responses by a third party other than the school or board of education.
It was decided to do so.
The government intends to announce new policies as soon as possible in the new year.