In response to a question from the Greens, Education Minister Claude Meisch confirmed to parliament that an action plan against violence in schools is in the works. The plan is set to be presented in the coming weeks.
The debate was requested by Luxembourg Socialist Workers’ Party (LSAP) MP Francine Closener and Christian Social People’s Party (CSV) MP Paul Galles after two pupils at a primary school in Dommeldange repeatedly displayed violent behaviour, and a 14-year-old student at Lycée Michel Lucius stabbed a fellow student in the school cafeteria. A clear consensus emerged from the parliamentary rows that schools must be a safe environment for children and teachers alike. Victims must be protected, and offenders need to be dealt with and reintegrated.
Another point on which MPs reached consensus is the need for greater clarity on who is responsible for what in cases of violence in schools. On this, the education minister admitted that Luxembourg needs to improve its crisis response. At the same time, he said that difficult questions need to be asked to determine which safety aspects need to be strengethened in schools to ensure the safety of other children and teachers.
CSV MP Paul Galles believes more tools need to be made available to teachers. This may sound abstract, but the debate pointed to a gradual move towards greater safety and respect for authority in schools. Pirates MP Sven Clement was the only one to propose legal protection for teachers who have to physically intervene. The Alternative Democratic Reform Party (ADR) parliamentary group president Fred Keup hoped for solutions that focused on other sources of stability, such as the family, after-school clubs, and cultural activities.
Education Minister Claude Meisch highlighted the sharp increase in staff dedicated to children with special needs in recent years. The minister stressed that more needs to be done, potentially in different ways. Here too, a cross-party consensus emerged that local, regional, and national stakeholders must work together more effectively. For the minister, there must be a centre of expertise for each specific situation.
Following discussions with the directors of the centres of expertise, it is also clear to the education minister that screen exposure during the first three years of a child’s life is a main cause of socio-emotional problems. In this context, LSAP MP Francine Closener asked when social media would be banned for under-15s. The minister indicated that the government clearly supports such a ban, but that discussions are still ongoing at European level. If no agreement is reached, the government will take responsibility.
It should be noted that any potential ban on TikTok and similar platforms falls within the remit of the justice minister. As for mental health, another issue raised by MPs, this falls within the remit of the health minister. The Ministry of Education, for its part, is working on providing a second staff member in pre-school classes, as well as on information campaigns aimed at parents. There are also plans to professionalise the National Inclusion Commission (CNI).
However, Claude Meisch was not yet able to provide further details. He replied to Green MP Djuna Bernard: “Give me a few more weeks.”
