Today, on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence and Bullying in Education, the global community is uniting to draw attention to an important and yet extremely complex issue in modern society – violence in educational institutions. Bullying, as a manifestation of violence, can take many forms: physical, psychological, economic, or even cyberbullying, which has become especially widespread in the digital age. This phenomenon has a negative impact on the mental health of children and adolescents, their self-esteem, academic achievements, and creates alienation in their relationships with others. Now children and parents have a new way to report cases of bullying at school. The Automated Information Complex of Educational Management (AICEM) platform allows both anonymous and open reporting of bullying situations among participants in the educational process to help prevent further violations of rights.
Why bullying is a serious threat to a child’s development
According to research, bullying has numerous negative consequences for a child’s development. Children who are bullied are more likely to have emotional problems, including depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and even suicidal thoughts. Bullying also affects academic performance: due to fear of meeting the perpetrator, children may avoid school and feel alienated from the team, which ultimately reduces their academic achievements and ability to adapt in the future. The lack of psychological support and social protection in educational institutions can lead to further isolation of victims, leaving them alone with the problem.
In addition, bullying affects not only the victim but also the perpetrator, who, unaware of the consequences of their actions, develops aggressive behaviour and poorly adapts to adulthood. Therefore, it is important that the fight against bullying in schools includes fostering mutual respect, developing emotional intelligence and inclusive thinking.
AIKOM is an innovative tool to combat bullying
Today, when the problem of bullying is becoming more and more widespread, an innovative tool has been introduced in Ukraine that allows children and their parents to report cases of bullying in schools – the Automated Information Complex of Educational Management platform. This is a kind of ‘online sheriff’ in the field of education, where you can both anonymously and openly report bullying, which helps to respond quickly to the problem and involve the relevant authorities in time to consider the case.
The platform’s special feature is its convenience and confidentiality. Children can file a report anonymously without disclosing their identity, which is especially important for those who fear retaliation or judgement from their peers. Parents, on the other hand, by providing their details, contribute to a faster and more efficient review of applications. The information submitted through AICOM is confidential and is available only to the school principal and police representatives. The Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast Children’s Service confirms that the information remains confidential, and the juvenile police guarantee that registered appeals will be thoroughly reviewed to protect the rights of the child.
How does AICOM work and how does it help prevent bullying?
AICOM allows every user to report a bullying incident in a simple and convenient way. To use this tool, you just need to go to the website aikom.iea.gov.ua and click on the ‘Report Bullying’ button. After that, the user can choose the form of appeal (anonymous or open) and submit all the necessary information. After submitting the report, the information is automatically forwarded to the responsible persons at the school and the police for further review and action. This procedure greatly facilitates the process of collecting information about bullying and allows for quick identification of bullying cases, which makes it possible to prevent new offences.
It is important to note that the AICOM platform is not only a means of complaining, but also serves as a kind of indicator of a healthy psychological climate in schools. According to the data collected by education services, the number of appeals may indicate the need for additional psychological measures or programmes in a particular educational institution. This helps to respond to the needs of students in a timely manner and improve approaches to combating bullying.
Joint efforts to combat violence in schools
Given the scale of bullying, it is important that everyone – parents, teachers, law enforcement, government services and NGOs – is involved in the fight against it. Initiatives such as AICOM are only the first step, and for them to have a lasting impact, support from society at all levels is needed. Parents can pay attention to their children’s mental health, communicate with them and support them in difficult times. Teachers and school administrators should provide safe learning environments and receive special training to recognise the signs of bullying and respond effectively to such incidents.
Psychologists, lawyers and social workers can also be an important link in this chain, providing emotional support, legal assistance and counselling for victims of bullying and their parents. However, the most important thing is to educate children in a spirit of tolerance, mutual respect and empathy so that they not only avoid bullying but also actively counteract it in their communities.
Looking to the future: from combating bullying to fostering a culture of safety
The introduction of tools such as AICOM is a step in the right direction, but the issue requires constant attention and improved approaches. The future of anti-bullying in education lies in the development of comprehensive programmes that include not only the possibility of filing complaints, but also psychological support, legal assistance and educational activities to raise awareness of bullying.
Together, parents, teachers, the state and the public can create an environment where every child feels safe and bullying becomes a rare exception rather than the norm. The International Day for the Elimination of Violence and Bullying in Education reminds us once again of the importance of coming together for a future in which every student is safe and confident.
