A new report shows an alarming increase in the number of violent incidents in schools.

Reported incidents of school violence in schools throughout Nova Scotia have increased 60% over the past seven years – up from 17,000 to 26,000 since 2017 – with half in the Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE).

“It will take strong leadership and community commitment to ensure safe learning environments in Nova Scotia schools after years of pervasive school violence,” Nova Scotia’s Auditor General Kim Adair states in a new report.

The new audit, which examined the incidents of violence in schools, reveals current policies have significant weaknesses to address the increasing school violence.

“Training and prevention have not kept pace with the rising number of violent incidents in public schools, resulting in educators who feel unprepared to deal with it,” said Adair.

“Educators, including teachers and teacher assistants, need a healthy and safe workplace. They cite several possibilities for the sharp rise in violence, including increasingly diverse and complex student needs,” Adair notes. “The situation now requires a more focused effort that is not evident in the current Code of Conduct policy.”

According to the report, her work uncovers weaknesses with the reliability and accuracy of school violence data and Adair believe it shows the department doesn’t know the full extent of violence in Nova Scotia’s schools.

“That unreliability is further compounded by educators who say they’re not always reporting incidents.”

As part of the audit, officials visited more than half a dozen schools – chosen for their locations, school sizes, and levels of violence – and interviewed dozens of staff, including principals, teachers, and teacher assistants.

In addition to conducting a provincewide survey of all educators in Nova Scotia, the Auditor General and her team performed more detailed work at the HRCE and Conseil scolaire acadien provincial (CSAP).

The auditor genera is making five recommendations, including following through on the department’s update to the Provincial School Code of Conduct policy, and the adoption of an integrated province-wide strategy in consultation with educators to address violence in schools.

“It’s as much an Occupational Health and Safety issue for educators as it is a commitment to improve the future of the province,” said Adair.

“Work is underway” Education minister

Education Minister Becky Druhan is assuring parents, students and school staff work is underway to address the issue.

“The department is working urgently and has already made progress that aligns closely with the recommendations from the Office of the Auditor General,” Druhan states. “This alignment helps confirm we – along with our safe school leadership table partners from the Nova Scotia Teachers Union and Public School Administrators Association of Nova Scotia – are moving in the right direction.”