England's schools 'worst for cyber-bullying'

Head teachers in England are more likely to face problems with pupils bullying online and misusing social media than in any other developed country, an international study says.

A report from the OECD think tank reported the experiences of more than 250,000 teachers in 48 industrialised countries and regions.

It showed particular problems with cyber-bullying in England's schools.

"It's the dark side of the modern age," said the OECD's Andreas Schleicher.

The OECD's education director called for more regulation of social media, rather than leaving individual heads to try to cope.

Online bullying

The study, from the economics think tank the Teaching and Learning International Survey, looked at the working lives of teachers around the world, with England participating but not Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

The survey, carried out every five years, indicated an increase in bullying in England's schools - driven by online bullying and harassment and problems caused by social media.

Of the heads in England surveyed:

14% faced problems each week caused by "hurtful" material posted about pupils, compared with an international average of 2%, with the United States having the next highest proportion - 10%
27% faced problems each week caused by pupils receiving "unwanted contact" online - in the form of cyber-bullying, compared with an international average of 3%, with Australia having the next highest proportion - 16%

"It's clearly about social media," said Mr Schleicher.

The survey also indicated that England faced a significant problem with a shortage of teachers.
Head teachers in England were much more likely to report their biggest problem was a lack of qualified teachers.

Mr Schleicher said this was "way above" what was typical of other developed countries - and that England was "pretty much on its own" with the scale of worries about a lack of teachers.

Ben Reilly wrote:Social media causes so many problems, I have to wonder whether it's worth what few meager benefits we seem to get from it.

'Wolfie wrote:

Maybe it's that luvly British weather...

Combined with some miserable little grots spending too much time inside, without anything else to occupy that spare time..

eddie wrote:

'Wolfie wrote:

Maybe it's that luvly British weather...

Combined with some miserable little grots spending too much time inside, without anything else to occupy that spare time..

Is that an British thing, or a generation thing, or creeping-up-upon us thing...worldwide?

Not sure what the weather has to do with it. Care to expand?