Set up to fight against school bullying, the pHARe program will be extended to high schools from the start of the 2023 school year. What does this prevention plan consist of?
Set up by the former Minister of Education Jean-Michel Blanquer in 2020, the the pHARE program is a school bullying prevention plan, for establishments. It has been extended to all French schools and colleges from the start of the 2022 school year. From the next academic year 2023, this program will be extended to high schools. Six months after the announcement of its generalization, 86% of colleges and 60% of schools are registered in the pHARe program and the Ministry of National Education wants the rectors to mobilize academic and departmental services to achieve the objective of 100% of schools and colleges inserted.
What is the government’s PHARE programme?
In 2022, the Minister of Education mentioned his mission of make school a place of equality and fulfilment, through the fight against school bullying. In this idea, in the same way as other international programs which have known a certain success (such as for example the Finnish program KiVa), pHARe is a bullying prevention program which provides schools and educational establishments with a global strategy intervention.
The prevention plan against school bullying is built around eight themes, we can read on the national education website. It is thus:
- Measuring school climate
- Preventing bullying
- Form a protective community of professionals and staff for students
- Respond effectively to bullying situations
- Involve parents and partners and communicate about the program
- Mobilize school democracy bodies (CVC, CVL) and the health, citizenship and environmental education committee
- Monitor the impact of these actions
- Provide a platform dedicated to resources
What are the useful contacts?
In cases of school bullying, families and the students themselves may need to be listened to and advised to find out what steps to take. It’s legitimate and it helps. For this, the Ministry of National Education and Youth has set up a toll-free number, 3020 (line open from Monday to Friday, except public holidays, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Monday to Friday and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday). This number is intended to help victims of bullying and their loved ones. It is also used to report cases of harassment. Other resources may also be helpful: