Tackling peer violence requires the involvement of parents alongside institutions, Education and Science Minister Vesna Janevska said. She expressed concern that, despite measures, campaigns and guidelines, incidents are becoming more brutal and children are displaying a troubling apathy. Those who film or watch the incidents are, in effect, complicit in them, she said.
Janevska addressed the issue during the panel discussion “The European Commission’s 2026 report – progress and reforms.” Asked by a journalist about the case in Tetovo, she outlined the measures the Ministry of Education and Science has already implemented in schools.
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The minister expressed regret that such incidents continue to occur in Macedonia despite the ministry’s intensive campaign against peer violence. She explained that schools have been provided with guidelines and that a system has been established to respond to violence among students, setting out the actions to be taken by teachers, specialist support staff and principals. At the same time, links between the education system, social services and the Ministry of Interior have been strengthened. According to Janevska, two media campaigns are underway, while other steps include the preparation of guidelines to combat cyberbullying.
Among the proposed measures, the Ministry of Education and Science has called for teachers to be present in school corridors and schoolyards. Meanwhile, a proposal providing for a €250 fine for parents is going through parliamentary proceedings.
Turning to the role of the family, Janevska said cooperation had been established with the Chamber of Psychologists. She stressed that attention must also extend to the home environment and that parents are an important part of this process.
Involving parents has proved more difficult, the minister said, but work is also continuing to identify early signs in children experiencing some form of violence. Janevska explained that this approach also addresses domestic violence, as experts believe a large proportion of peer violence is linked to violence in the home.
In closing, she called for everyone to be held accountable for their actions, including both minors, regardless of their age, and parents. The minister reiterated that the need to raise awareness of the shared responsibility for children has been repeatedly emphasized. This responsibility, she said, cannot rest solely with schools, social services or the Ministry of Interior. She also confirmed that campaigns and training would continue.
