Norway to end bullying in schools

Norwegian schools are meant to be magically free of bullying when students go back to class on Wednesday after the summer break.

But pupils say the landmark "zero tolerance" campaign for name-calling, hitting, hair-pulling, arm-twisting and other playground nastiness is about as realistic as the plot of a "Harry Potter" novel.

Even Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik admits the two-year scheme launched in 2002 is optimistic in its goal of eradicating bullying from the start of the school year on Wednesday.

"There will be cases of bullying but zero tolerance is our target," he told Reuters of a scheme that has stirred wide international attention. "You can't say that you have a goal of five or 10 per cent bullying. It has to be zero."

"Many schools have reported good results like a halving of bullying after they started systematic efforts against it," he said of the 2002 "Manifesto against Bullying".

The scheme tells victims that "bullies have a problem, not you!" and has led to wider discussion of bullying in classrooms.

It has, for instance, encouraged competitions to write essays or rap music against intimidation and brought more "fair play" prizes at children's soccer tournaments.

"Bullying won't stop," said Ellen, 16. "People don't get beaten up any longer but there's more quiet, psychological bullying." She said snide remarks and condescension were often just as hurtful as any physical abuse.

Studies had shown bullying was rising in Norwegian schools from 1995-2001. Five per cent of pupils say they suffer bullying at least once a week.

"The main innovation of the manifesto is that it involves everyone - politicians, schools, students and parents," said Vibeke Thue, deputy head of the Directorate for Primary and Secondary Education.

In some schools, class-appointed child mediators try to end conflicts by sitting down with victims and bullies with sanctions for repeat offenders like a phone call home. A hard core risk being sent to special schools.