Promotion of School Violence Prevention Programs Including Metaverse and Participatory Theater

Pilot Operation of Metaverse Cyberbullying Prevention Activities from September
Participatory Theater and Lectures Visiting 51 Schools

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] The Ministry of Education will operate various school violence prevention programs until the end of the year to help understand and learn how to respond to school violence.

On the 18th, the Ministry of Education announced that it will promote communication and empathy relay discussions visiting local areas in collaboration with metropolitan and provincial offices of education and private organizations, participatory theater and lecture sessions visiting schools, and experiential cyberbullying prevention activities using the extended virtual world (Metaverse).

Starting in September, a pilot experiential cyberbullying prevention education program called "CyberS" using the Metaverse will be operated to prevent cyberbullying. Students from 173 schools nationwide will complete challenges step-by-step using avatars. Activities include creating business cards to enhance self-esteem, choosing supportive words for avatars hurt by cyberbullying, and sharing opinions on cyber conflict situations.

Participatory theater and lecture sessions for school violence prevention are conducted sequentially at 51 schools nationwide by the nonprofit private organization Pureunnamu Foundation. The participatory theater views the concerns of victims, perpetrators, and witnesses of school violence from the audience's perspective, with some students directly participating as characters. Lectures are also held to consider the proper role of witnesses in school violence situations and to spread a non-violent school culture.

The school violence prevention relay discussions will start on the 19th in Chuncheon, followed by Suncheon (August 31), Cheonan (September 28), and Busan (October 19). Recent school violence conditions and prevention policies will be introduced, and students, parents, teachers, and celebrities will participate in discussions to share thoughts on preventing school violence.

Jang Sang-yoon, Vice Minister of Education, said, "We will continue to strive for practice-centered school violence prevention education that raises sensitivity to school violence, including understanding that even minor pranks or slips of the tongue can hurt others and become school violence, and that students should not be bystanders but act correctly in school violence situations."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.