A CHILD AT SCHOOL

April 2026 marked a period of significant upheaval for the region's education system. Recent tragic events in Turkey and a series of alarming incidents in Azerbaijan, including attempted arson attacks, suicides, cyber threats and verbal abuse of teachers, are forcing us to move beyond mere discussion of the incidents and turn to systemic analysis.

Too much to bear

When discussing school safety, there is a tendency to pursue immediate solutions such as enhanced security measures, the installation of metal detector gates, and police inspections. However, international experience and evidence-based research in educational psychology demonstrate that physical protection represents merely the initial aspect of a more extensive problem. The concept of "school climate" is a key factor in ensuring genuine safety in an educational environment. This is not achieved through control, but rather through the quality of interpersonal relationships and the sense of psychological security among all participants in the educational process.

When analysing the situation, the voice of parents cannot be ignored, as their anxiety is especially evident today. In public discourse, the question is often raised: what has led to the loss of the link that once guided children towards constructive activities? There is a strong view that the system used to work more subtly: coaches and specialists themselves went into schools, identified talents and engaged teenagers in sport, which served as a powerful tool for preventing deviant (antisocial) behaviour. The current reality is marked by an excessive academic load, with a focus on exam results that leaves little room for free development in children. When children are denied opportunities to engage in sport or artistic pursuits, which are fundamental to their social development and should not be viewed as a commercial service, their energy may be directed towards destructive activities. Parents rightly emphasise that we need to change the paradigm, allocating grants for science-based projects in psychological development and social adaptation that would embed a culture of responsibility and mindfulness, rather than simply formal disciplinary measures.

Science and the school climate

One of the most challenging issues that we continue to face is social inequality within schools. It is evident that children with developmental disabilities frequently become dependent on their family's financial resources, as providing comprehensive support for neurodivergent students necessitates resources that are not yet consistently available through state funding. This is an issue of social justice, and it is vital that inclusion is not contingent on a family's financial situation. A reorganisation of social policy is required: the presence of a tutor (a curator or guardian) or a specialist support worker must become standard practice, funded from the budget, so that inclusion transforms from a declaration into real help. In such a system, a tutor is not merely a person assigned to a child on the autism spectrum; rather, they are a qualified professional working within a multidisciplinary team (psychologists, speech and language therapists, and occupational therapists). The following standards of evidence-based pedagogy have been identified: the most effective prevention tool is social-emotional learning programmes.

Scientific evidence confirms the strategy of "gradual fading of support" as being effective. The role of a tutor is not to replicate the social environment, but rather to methodically instil independence in the child. Research indicates that inclusive classrooms, with appropriate support in place, can benefit all students. Studies show that neurotypical children in such environments exhibit higher levels of empathy, develop cooperative skills and experience reduced social anxiety. Research has demonstrated that integrating children with developmental disabilities into the mainstream environment has significant benefits. Firstly, it fosters tolerance and empathy in society, which is an effective way of preventing the forms of aggression that we see today.

Similarly, it is essential to undertake a thorough review of the workload on schoolchildren. The sheer number of curricula and the rigidity of entrance examinations create an atmosphere of constant stress, in which the social behaviour of adolescents becomes increasingly unpredictable.

The moral and ethical context also remains a critically important aspect. In a society where media and internet resources often broadcast the romanticisation of criminal subculture or promote a destructive aesthetic, raising a well-adjusted generation becomes an extremely difficult task.

A paradoxical bridge to the past

Interestingly, modern scientific concepts of "school climate" and "sense of belonging" echo the pedagogical legacy of the prominent Soviet educator Anton Makarenko. While his methods are often perceived as a product of their era, they are based on the same universal principles that neuropsychology recognises today. Makarenko intuitively discovered what we now call "the need for a cognitive anchor" and "social relevance".

His concept of the "collective" is not a mere one-size-fits-all approach, but rather the establishment of an environment in which every child feels a sense of belonging and contributes to a shared goal. In today's educational environment, where many adolescents may lack a sense of purpose, Makarenko's concept of "tomorrow's joy"—where a child has a goal (a project, creative work, or sport) that goes beyond a simple mark in a register—takes on new significance. Makarenko's approach emphasised the importance of engaging teenagers in meaningful, socially beneficial work, thereby ensuring that they lack the opportunity or motivation to engage in destructive behaviours or aggression. Makarenko stated: It is an irrefutable fact that a person cannot live without a dream, without the anticipation of "tomorrow's joy". The modern schoolchild is constantly under pressure to perform in exams, with the fear of tomorrow's test looming large. Makarenko would have categorically rejected a system where a child's planning horizon is limited to tests.

He would have infused school life with a variety of events, including preparation for complex engineering projects, creative festivals, and trips, as well as the establishment of full-fledged products (be it a design studio, a sewing workshop, or an IT laboratory). It is imperative that children recognise the importance of their work today in order to build a prosperous future. When a child has a goal, such as launching a project or preparing a performance, they have no time left for "nonsense" and online destructiveness.

This is precisely what parents are talking about today: we need free sports sections, design studios and workshops where a child can express themselves. This is not an “additional burden”, as one might think, rather it is a modern equivalent of Makarenko’s “common cause”, which shapes a responsible citizen.

Path to transformation

In this context, the question of school hierarchy also requires rethinking. The teacher is a figure whose status must remain unassailable. Respect for teachers is not merely a directive; it is an indisputable fact at the foundation of educational culture. However, as Makarenko noted, authority is not granted "from above"; it is earned through professionalism and ethics. A teacher who demonstrates empathy and humanity will undoubtedly earn the respect of their pupils. The school must be a space of mutual dignity, where conflicts are resolved not through force but through constructive dialogue.

It is important to acknowledge that schools reflect the wider society, and if aggression or vulgarity is rife in public discourse, then schools will inevitably be affected.

The role of the family in this coordinate system is primary, but it requires a new quality. In the contemporary business environment, parents are expected to fulfil a more active role in the educational process, beyond the traditional roles of observers or critics. This is known as "digital hygiene", which involves monitoring the content that a child consumes. Most importantly, it also involves transmitting eternal values such as compassion, honesty and responsibility. If fundamental ethical frameworks are not addressed within the family environment, children may remain susceptible to influences such as "street" or digital ideologies. It is essential that the school stops functioning as a mere "service zone" and evolves into a community that prioritises the holistic development of each child, placing a higher value on their personal growth and well-being than on mere reporting and rankings. The transition from a model of prohibitions to a model of support is not merely a preference but rather a prerequisite for the survival of our society. It is essential that the state combines its efforts to create an accessible leisure environment, teachers build professional authority, and parents cultivate a core of values if we are to return the school to its true purpose — to be a space of creation, rather than a battleground for our children's future.

In order to successfully navigate the present crisis, a transition to a systemic model is required, in which the well-being of the child is prioritised over objective reporting. The foundation for such a transformation must be state provision of tutor support for children with developmental disabilities. This will ensure inclusion is realised in practice rather than being merely nominal. Concurrently, it is imperative to establish a network of free hobby groups and sports sections that will transform the school from a "territory of exam stress" into a space conducive to creativity and achievement. This architecture should be complemented by a genuine psychologisation of the school environment. This involves the introduction of social-emotional learning programmes that develop children's skills of responsibility and self-regulation in practice, as opposed to solely on paper. The success of these measures depends on the restoration of a partnership dialogue in which the school becomes an open community, where teachers and parents act not as opponents, but as sincere allies in raising the future generation.

We must stop looking at child development through the prism of profitability. Investing in free leisure, psychological well-being and the establishment of a secure and meaningful environment is the most effective strategy for enhancing national security. The solution proposed decades ago, involving the engagement of children in constructive activities and upbringing through collective trust, combined with modern scientific approaches, provides a clear direction for action. It is imperative that the school environment is restored to its purpose as a place of learning and growth, rather than a site of conflict.