Schools are increasingly putting students under closed-circuit television surveillance to cut bullying.

The practice is suggested in new Ministry of Education bullying prevention guidelines – and some schools have already put cameras near toilet blocks after learning bullied children were avoiding them for fear of getting bashed.

One Auckland principal reportedly keeps an eye on monitoring screens in their office.

The bullying prevention document is the work of an advisory group including the Children’s Commissioner, police, education unions, principals’ associations and cyber-safety organisation NetSafe.

Other practical advice to schools includes stressing to students that as bystanders they can either enable or defuse bullying, and how to create confidential reporting systems. Schools are asked to consider whether there are areas where students feel unsafe, and are given advice on how grounds can be changed to reduce bullying.

“Ensuring areas are easily accessible, well lit, and regularly supervised/monitored (using closed-circuit television) will help reduce the likelihood of bullying,” the report says.

Source: The New Zealand Herald

Read the full article: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11280207