The teachers’ union SEW has called on the Ministry of Education to implement a zero-tolerance policy on violence in schools, urging that greater protection be afforded to victims.
The appeal comes after Minister of Education Claude Meisch disclosed on Monday that a total of 312 students were expelled from secondary education over the course of the 2024/25 academic year. The figure was released in response to a parliamentary question.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the SEW argued that there is an urgent need for a clear and uncompromising stance on violence within schools. The union claims to be aware of several cases in which students expelled for violent behaviour later had their expulsions overturned by an appeals commission. According to the SEW, such decisions create the impression that the protection of victims is considered less important than that of the perpetrators.
The union insists that the ministry must communicate unequivocally that violence will not be tolerated. Among its demands, the SEW is calling for the systematic collection of data on incidents of violence and the establishment of a dedicated crisis team capable of intervening when such situations arise.
