ALMOST HALF OF all secondary school students in Ireland say they have experienced bullying, a new report from the Ombudsman for Children’s Office (OCO) has said.

The report, published today, says that 47% of students surveyed say they have experienced bullying in school, while 36% report having experienced discrimination and 15% say they have been subject to racism.

The Ombudsman for Children Dr Niall Muldoon said “bullying regularly features in complaints that come to the OCO so it is not surprising that bullying has come up in the survey”.

“However, its prominence and the widespread nature of bullying is really concerning”, he continued, calling on the Department of Education to continue to focus on the issue.

Almost 70% of students said they want increased action from schools on bullying. Students also want more education on issues such as racism and discrimination, with more consequences when it happens, the survey found.

Over half of students (51%) surveyed also report being concerned with online safety, with more education on how to stay safe online the most requested change.

While an overwhelming majority of students (71%) rate Ireland as being a good country where children can fulfil their potential, many students outlined a number of issues for students.

The cost-of-living crisis was ranked highest (44%), followed closely by mental health services (40%) and housing in the future (33%).

Mental health and student wellbeing were areas highlighted by students throughout the survey, with students overwhelmingly seeking an increased focus on the overall well-being of students (77%) and on mental health issues and supports (75%).

40% of students also said they would make use of a therapist at their school if they had access to one.

Students also feel their opinions are not being considered when decisions are being made about children.

Dr Muldoon said “children also us that they rarely feel listened to by adults both inside and outside the classroom”, adding that more needs to be done to communicate to children about how their opinions shape policy decisions.

Students hold a positive outlook on the education system, with 62% telling the survey they rate it as being good or very good.

However, they also outlined a number of different improvements for the system and curriculum.

The majority of students also asked for less emphasis on exams (59%) and a reduction in the amount of homework (75%).

Over 8 in 10 students told the survey they would like greater involvement in making decisions about their school and different learning styles in the education system.

“With children the key stakeholders in our education system, it is incumbent on us to pay attention to what they are saying and take these recommendations on board in a meaningful way,” Dr Muldoon said, adding that “there is a lot for us to take from this survey and learnings to be had that will inform the work of our Office in the coming years”.

Over 1,000 secondary school students from across 23 schools in Ireland took part in the survey, carried out by Amárach Research as part of the OCO’s 20th Anniversary.

The online survey was open to children aged 12 – 18 years in secondary schools. A small number of students (7%) aged 18 and over who are still in school also completed the survey.

Once a school was signed up to take part in the survey, it was still up to individual students to decide to participate. Every survey response was also anonymous, with only the school identifiable.