Yesterday, 29 October 2015, Najat Vallaud-Belkacem held a press conference to announce new measures to combat bullying in schools. At a time when 700,000 pupils are affected by bullying every year – and when bullying is increasingly moving online, particularly on social media – it seems essential to put new measures in place.
To this end, the Minister of National Education proposes:
1) A new 4-digit telephone number for Stop Harassment – 3020 – where families can report their problems Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
2) Promotion of NetEcoute – 0 800 200 000 for all questions related to cyberbullying.
3) Launching a new website: www.nonauharcelement.education.gouv.fr.
4) A protocol for dealing with the situation in schools (information sheets for teachers, headteachers and parents can be found at www.nonauharcelement.education.gouv.fr/ressources) which includes training secondary school ambassadors in all French academies so that they can intervene in their schools if necessary.
5) A national day to say «No to Bullying», set for Thursday, 5 November this year.
6) As part of this day, the associations Hope for Education and e-Enfance, together with the Montpellier education authority, are inviting professionals, students and the media to the Opéra-Comédie. While the morning will be devoted to explaining the Ministry of Education's new campaign (measures, initiatives, debates, etc.), the afternoon will focus on raising awareness among primary and secondary school pupils who have come especially for the occasion.
7) A major communication campaign with a clip aimed at children aged 8 to 11, produced by Mélissa Theuriau, which will soon be broadcast on France Télévision and Disney channels, as well as in cinemas before Disney's Christmas film «The Good Dinosaur».
8) Finally, a video clip aimed at teenagers, in which several bloggers have decided to take a stand and say «No to Bullying». This clip will soon be available online and was produced in partnership with e-Enfance and YouTube.
e-Enfance, a partner of the Ministry of Education, welcomes these measures.
