MORE INFORMATION Fighting bullying Website http://horizontal-facility-eu.coe.int and extremism Facebook jp.horizontal.facility in the education Twitter @CoE_EU_HF system in Albania Contact Council of Europe Office in Tirana Skanderbeg Square Palace of Culture Second Floor, Tirana, Albania ACTION IMPACT STUDY Tel: +35544540201 Email: [email protected] This document has been produced using funds of a Joint Programme between the European Union and the Council of Europe. The views expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Union or the Council of Europe. ENG The Council of Europe is the continent’s leading human rights The Member States of the European Union have decided to link, organization. It comprises 47 member states, 28 of which are together their know-how, resources and destinies. Together, http://horizontal-facility-eu.coe.int members of the European Union. All Council of Europe member they have built a zone of stability, democracy and sustainable states have signed up to the European Convention on Human development whilst maintaining cultural diversity, tolerance and Rights, a treaty designed to protect human rights, democracy and individual freedoms. The European Union is committed to sharing the rule of law. The European Court of Human Rights oversees its achievements and its values and peoples beyond its borders. the implementation of the Convention in the member states. www.coe.int www.europa.eu Albana Canollari Baze Observatory for Children and Youth’s Rights Svetlana Jurko Hana Zylfiu-Haziri © 2019 Council of Europe. All rights reserved. Licensed to the European Union under conditions. 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Published within the scope of the Action “Fighting Bullying and Extremism in the Education System in Albania”, within the European Union/Council of Europe Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey. 2 Contents Context ..........................................................................................................................5 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................7 Acronyms .....................................................................................................................9 List of graphs ............................................................................................................11 List of figures ............................................................................................................12 List of tables ..............................................................................................................12 1. INTRODUCTION ..............................................................................................13 1.1 Background of the study ....................................................................13 1.2. The aim of the study .............................................................................14 2. METHODOLOGY .............................................................................................15 2.1 Research questions ................................................................................15 2.2 Instruments of the study ...................................................................17 2.3 Sample size and selection ..................................................................17 2.4 Administration of the survey ............................................................18 2.5 Conducting Focus Groups and Interviews ..................................20 2.6 Analysis of data-quantitative and qualitative ...........................23 3. DATA ANALYSIS- QUANTITATIVE ...........................................................25 3.1 Students’ perceptions on the impact of the action- Pilot versus Control Group Schools ........................................................25 3.2 Teachers’ perception on the impact of the action- Pilot versus Control Groups Schools ................................................................31 3 4. DATA ANALYSIS- QUALITATIVE ............................................................42 4.1 Mixed Focus Groups with BSNCS- Primary and Secondary Schools ..............................................................................43 4.2 Focus Groups with Beneficiary School for Case Study ..........68 4.2.1 Students’ views on the impact of action ...................................69 4.2.2 Teachers’ views on the impact of action ...................................77 4.2.3 Parents’ views on the impact of action ......................................87 4.2.4 Directors’ views on the impact of the action ..........................92 4.2.5 Triangulating views .........................................................................100 4.3. Analysis of Focus Groups- Mentors, Project Staff, Steering Committee ....................................................................................102 4.3.1 Mentors’ views on the impact of the action .........................102 4.3.2 Project staff’s views on the impact of the action ................107 4.3.3. Steering Committee’s views on the impact of the action ....................................................................................................110 5. MAIN FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS ............................................113 RECOMMENDATIONS .............................................................................115 1. Recommendations for national and central structures ........115 2. Recommendations for schools ........................................................116 Context he study on the impact of the European Union/Council of TEurope Horizonal Facility for Western Balkans and Turkey action “Fighting Bullying and Extremism in the Education System in Albania” was carried out in 21 pilot schools in Albania within the framework of the action. Based on the findings from the “National Survey on Bullying and Violent Extremism in the Education System in Albania” (ISOP, 2017), the action designed its intervention focusing on three levels: developing effective school mechanisms in creating safe school environment (policy development), capacity building and awareness raising activities. This study provides evidence on the impact of intervention in these pilot schools. In specific, the main purpose of this study was to measure changes that can be attributed to the intervention of the Action; gather and analyse data about the effectiveness and efficiency of the action; record the impact and sustainability of the action in the education system in Albania. Participants in this study were students, teachers, staff and parents from beneficiary schools and non-beneficiary schools. In addition, the study provides some evidence on how Mentors, Steering Committee and Project Staff evaluate with the impact of the action in Albanian schools. The findings offer a significant contribution with regards to the impact and the perceived changes due to the implemented intervention, and sheds light on the necessity for continuation in fighting bullying as a phenomenon in the education system in Albania. 5 Acknowledgements The Council of Europe would like to thank everyone for their time and contribution to this report, especially the study’s participants, students, parents, teachers and school staff, the experts Hana Zylfiu-Haziri, Svetlana Jurko and the Observatory for Children and Youth’s Rights, staff and the research expert for the professional work and commitment in successfully completing this impact study: - Elma Tërshana, Team Leader - Dr. Albana Canollari-Baze, Research Expert and Report Writer - Julia Allushi, Statistician And the team of the fieldwork, covering all the country: - Majlinda Xhamo, Berat - Verdi Shehu, Dibër - Dafina Muda, Durrës - Elona Mustafarai, Elbasan - Migena Vallja, Fier - Irini Durri, Gjirokastër - Marjana Jorgji, Korçë - Shkelqim Muca, Kukës - Marjan Ndoci, Lezhë - Albana Kastrati, Shkodër - Zana Kondi, Tiranë - Rada Cuci, Vlorë 7 Acronyms AB Antibullying BS Beneficiary Schools BSCS Beneficiary School for Case Study CoE Council of Europe FG Focus Groups IED Institute of Educational Development N-BS Non-Beneficiary Schools PS Project Staff RED Regional Educational Directorates SC Steering Committee VET Vocational Education Training 9 List of graphs Graph 1: Distribution of Students’ number responding to survey per school ............................................................20 Graph 2: Distribution of Teachers’ number responding to survey per school ............................................................20 Graph 3: Students’ perception on what bullying is by schools ......................................................................................26 Graph 4: Students degree on being informed about action when faced with bullying per school ..............27 Graph 5: Participants involved in preparing anti-bullying events .............................................................28 Graph 6: Stakeholders attending the school AB events ...........28 Graph 7: Perception of what did not change related to bullying after AB events ................................................29 Graph 8: Teachers’ perception