Ministry says teenagers remain responsible for their own behaviour

Teenagers are primarily responsible for their own behaviour, Estonia’s Ministry of Education and Research says, while schools and local governments also have duties to address serious misconduct. The comments follow Põltsamaa Basic School’s decision to hire a security company to deal with disruptive pupils, ERR reported.

The school recently brought in security staff and gave employees alarm buttons after they struggled to manage the behaviour of some pupils. School psychologist Karmen Maikalu said on the television programme Terevisioon that similar problems were being reported by schools across Estonia.

Principal Henry Kallaste said the main problems involved two or three pupils in grades six and seven who did not want to attend school and came in mainly to cause trouble. They disrupted lessons and knocked over rubbish bins, he said, adding that other pupils were afraid and teachers were concerned about conducting classes.

Education Ministry official Jürgen Rakaselg said age, a possible mental health condition or a developmental difference could help explain a pupil’s behaviour, but did not justify inappropriate conduct. Schools must ensure the physical and mental safety of pupils and provide employees with a safe working environment, he said. Parents are responsible for their children’s behaviour and any damage they cause, while local governments also have a role because they provide schools with resources to address the causes of misconduct. These responsibilities do not remove the pupil’s own responsibility, Rakaselg said.

At Põltsamaa Basic School, security staff now take pupils who behave inappropriately home so they do not disrupt lessons. The school can also exclude them from classes for up to 10 days in one school year, the maximum permitted. Kallaste said the school had previously worked with municipal child protection workers and youth police to address similar problems.

Maikalu said it was important to consider why young people behaved this way. In her view, they often need both love and boundaries. She added that parents sometimes tell schools they cannot manage their children, while the young people may not understand that their actions have consequences.