Numerous Romanian state officials condemned the two recent attacks committed by students against classmates or teachers at school with bladed weapons earlier this week.
The first attack took place on Monday, October 19, when a 13-year-old student at the “Ștefan cel Mare” Secondary School in Bistrița attacked a teacher and a 12-year-old classmate with a knife. Another student who intervened during the incident was also injured. According to information from the investigation, the attack may have been premeditated, and prosecutors are also investigating a possible racial motive.
The second attack took place on Thursday, October 22, at the “Armand Călinescu” Technical College in Pitești, where a ninth-grade student entered the school carrying a machete and injured two classmates. According to initial information, the assault may have been motivated by the teenager's desire for revenge after episodes of bullying.
President points to warning signs
Romanian president Nicușor Dan reacted to the attacks on Thursday, October 22, stating that they were “warning signs that we can no longer afford to ignore.”
“In recent years, we have made progress in understanding and combating bullying. But rules and laws, which are necessary, are not enough if they are not enforced in everyday life. More attention must be paid to what happens between children; intervention is needed at the first signs, and there must be concern for the causes of violence, not just for the consequences, which can be devastating,” Nicușor Dan wrote in a Facebook post.
The head of state emphasized the importance of communication between students, teachers, and parents so that aggressive behaviour can be identified early and children can feel confident asking for help when facing violence or harassment.
Dan also drew attention to the risks present online, where children can be exposed to aggressive behaviour and harassment. The president said that protecting minors in the digital space must become a shared concern for authorities, specialists, teachers, and parents.
“We need safer schools, teachers who are supported and trained to intervene, genuine access to psychological counselling, as well as measures to protect minors when using the online space,” the president concluded.
The president also brought up the school attacks and ways of preventing them at a meeting of the Supreme Council for National Defense (CSAT), Romania’s top administrative authority for national defense and security.
PM calls for rapid intervention
Prime minister Luca Niculescu, in turn, said on Friday, October 23, at the beginning of the extraordinary government meeting, that the serious cases of school violence in recent days are worrying. The head of the executive said plans are being drawn up to improve school safety, including prevention measures, rapid intervention, and firm sanctions for acts of violence.
“No child should leave home for school in fear, and no parent should have to wonder whether their child will return home safely from school,” the prime minister said.
He added that it is not enough to react after every serious incident, but that everything possible must be done to prevent such incidents and tragedies.
New education minister advances proposals
Previously, new education minister Sorin Costreie argued that “our schools are rather alone right now; they are somewhat left to fend for themselves.”
The official said he would request an increase in the number of security guards posted to schools. The increase would bring 1,000 guards to schools in Romania nationwide, assigned to key locations.
Another proposal from the education minister regarded tougher punishments for those who are violent against teaching staff.
“Let’s also change criminal law, following the example of medical staff, meaning that more recently, if you commit acts of violence against medical staff, a doctor or nurse, who is carrying out their duties, this is an aggravating circumstance and the punishment is doubled. We want to do the same for teachers,” he said, according to Antena3.
The minister acknowledged that transforming schools into safe spaces cannot be done quickly, given that educational institutions have been neglected by the authorities for a long time.
Aside from the president, PM, and the education minister, Romania’s prosecutor general Cristina Chiriac also commented on the attacks. She said that safety in schools was not optional, but an obligation of the state and a right of every child and teacher. She stressed that the intervention of the authorities must respect the rights of minors, the presumption of innocence, and the principle of proportionality.
Early prevention is key, NGO says
In a press release, World Vision, the largest non-governmental organization (NGO) working in rural areas in Romania, said that any debate on school safety should not be limited to harsher penalties, checking schoolbags, or installing metal detectors. Instead, the organization proposes strengthening prevention measures, early identification of risk situations, teacher training, and involving students in recognizing and reporting violence.
“An approach based predominantly on checks and suspicion risks undermining trust between students and teachers without addressing the causes of violence or conflicts that can also occur outside school. Schools must remain safe spaces for students and teachers, with clear mechanisms for preventing and reporting physical and verbal violence, including assaults against teachers,” the NGO said.
According to the report Child Wellbeing in Rural Areas, produced by World Vision Romania, 43% of parents and 29% of children said that no action was taken after an assault was reported. In the same study, more than 93% of children in rural areas said they had experienced at least one bullying incident during the school year analyzed.
Data from another World Vision Romania study indicated vulnerabilities in the identification and management of school violence. As such, 40% of the middle and high school students surveyed did not know whether their school had a school counsellor they could turn to. At the same time, 37% of the teachers consulted considered themselves poorly or not at all prepared to identify children who were victims of violence, while only 45% said they knew what to do in the event of an assault at school.