UNDERSTANDING SCHOOL BULLYING OF STUDENTS WITH MIGRANT AND REFUGEE BACKGROUNDS IN GREEK PRIMARY EDUCATION: TEACHERS’ PERSPECTIVES

Panagiotis Maniatis

Abstract


This study explores the perceptions and practices of primary school teachers in Greece regarding the bullying of students with migrant and refugee backgrounds. Using a qualitative research design and semi-structured interviews with 23 teachers, the research investigates how educators define, understand, and respond to bullying within multicultural school environments. The findings reveal that school bullying is perceived as a multidimensional phenomenon influenced by linguistic barriers, cultural differences, and socioeconomic inequalities. Teachers acknowledge that migrant and refugee students are at greater risk of victimization, mainly through verbal harassment and social exclusion. They also emphasize the negative impact of bullying on students’ mental health, self-esteem, and academic performance. Effective preventive and intervention strategies identified include intercultural education, experiential learning activities, empathy-building practices, continuous professional development, and collaboration with families and community organizations. Despite their willingness to act, teachers highlight the need for institutional frameworks, systematic training, and support mechanisms to ensure consistency and sustainability in anti-bullying initiatives. Overall, the findings suggest that intercultural education can serve as a central strategy for preventing school bullying and fostering an inclusive and safe educational environment for all students.

 

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school bullying, intercultural education, migrant students, teachers’ perceptions

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v12i11.6323

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