The International Day Against Violence and Bullying at School: Specialists from the FCC of MSUPE Discussed Preventive Measures

November 5 marks the International Day Against Violence and Bullying at School. This date is not only a reason to draw attention to the problem but also an opportunity to evaluate systematic efforts to solve it. Bullying is a social problem; research shows that it affects a significant portion of students and requires a comprehensive, scientifically based approach.

The consequences of experiencing bullying lead to social maladaptation, including a decline in academic performance, anxiety, and depressive states. That is exactly why the work to foster a favorable socio-psychological climate and prevent bullying in educational organizations is conducted at several levels: regulatory, methodological, and organizational.

Systematic preventive work requires not one-time campaigns but practices integrated into the daily life of organizations, which support a culture of mutual respect and constructive conflict resolution.

One of the options for preventive measures that stimulate educational organizations to work on bullying prevention is the holding of the All-Russian competition for the implementation of comprehensive preventive measures to foster a favorable socio-psychological climate, "School#WithoutOffense". The competition is organized by the Ministry of Education of Russia on the initiative of the Council under the Government of the Russian Federation on Guardianship in the Social Sphere, chaired by Tatyana Alekseevna Golikova, Deputy Prime Minister. The operator of the competition is Moscow State University of Psychology and Education.

In the 2026/27 academic year, the competition will be held for the third time. Over two years, it has progressed from an initiative covering only general education organizations to a broader format: professional educational organizations, organizations of supplementary education, and organizations for children's recreation and health improvement have joined the competition. Such an expansion reflects the understanding that bullying prevention cannot be limited to the school walls—it must cover the entire environment in which children spend their lives.

A steady interest of the professional community in the competition is noted. Based on the results of the past academic year, a positive dynamic is observed across all main indicators: a 32% increase in the number of competition participants (from 1,022 to 1,350) and an expansion of the competition's geography by 8 subjects of the Russian Federation.

For organizations, participation in the competition provides opportunities to analyze existing preventive programs, describe them in a structured form, and receive an expert evaluation. This stimulates reflection and helps identify points of growth in the systematic work on bullying prevention. For regional educational management bodies, the competition is a tool to support organizations in implementing their practices.

Following the results of the competition, a federal register of best practices aimed at fostering a favorable socio-psychological climate in student groups and preventing bullying and other types of socially dangerous behavior among participants in educational relations is formed and updated annually. It includes the practices of the winners and prize-winners in the competition categories. The register is published on the official website of MSUPE.

Thus, bullying prevention includes a wide range of tasks to foster a favorable socio-psychological climate in society as a whole, and especially psychologically safe conditions in the educational environment. This is facilitated by the establishment and development of mediation and reconciliation services, advanced training for educational psychologists, and the active participation of organizations in the "School#WithoutOffense" competition.