Human Rights Action (HRA), Centre for Civic Education (CCE), and Parents Association welcome the decision of the Government of Montenegro to engage 205 security guards in 113 schools as of 1 October, in response to the rise of violence among and against children. This measure is an important “lifeline”, but the necessary systemic solutions for coordinated action to protect every child remain to be implemented.
We appreciate the efforts of the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation to strengthen safety in schools and hope that the engagement of security guards will be just the beginning of a broader and strategically oriented reform. The allocation of almost 420,000 EUR for this purpose demonstrates a determination to address the problem. We expect this determination to be further reflected in effective cooperation among all relevant actors – schools, centres for social work, healthcare institutions, the judiciary, and local authorities – to ensure children with timely and comprehensive protection of their rights, but also their obligations. For this reason, we especially welcome the announced amendments to the rulebook on disciplinary measures for both primary and secondary schools.
Our three organisations requested on 8 September that the Ministry publicly present the results of the evaluation of the effects of engaging security guards and urgently decide on the continuation of their engagement as a temporary measure, until systemic and long-term solutions for safety in schools and their surroundings are adopted. It is particularly important that each school has a team of professionals with a sufficient number of staff – psychologists, pedagogues, social workers – who work daily with students, especially those with behavioural issues, and their families.
We also remind that, among other things, we have consistently advocated for the introduction of a mandatory subject in Civic Education, which would, above all, include learning the skills of non-violent communication. It is high time to stop “putting out fires” and start building a system that protects children from violence in the long term and reliably, while also teaching them non-violent communication.
Peer violence cannot be curbed without fundamental changes in the way we approach the education system and the system of social and child protection.
Human Rights Action (HRA)
Centre for Civic Education (CCE)
Parents Association