KiVa antibullying program was adopted in 2020 in Finland Oman School in Muscat. All the students of the school, grades 1-10, benefit from the program.
Zero tolerance to bullying in Finland Oman School
KiVa Program was launched across the school as a preventive measure.
- We wanted to create a school community, where nobody is bullied, says school principal Ms. Terhi Merensky.
Implementation of the KiVa program in the Finland Oman School has got off to a good start teachers have given structured KiVa lessons to the students, and the school has nominated KiVa team to coordinate the program and to tackle any bullying cases that come to the attention of the school staff.
- We have found KiVa a very well structured and comprehensive program: it requires the long-term commitment of the entire school, but it is easy to use, Ms. Merensky reflects.
KiVa Schools worldwide
KiVa antibullying program works in more than 2 000 schools in 21 countries world wide. In the home country of KiVa, Finland, nearly 50 % of the school use KiVa. KiVa units are available to students aged 6-16.
The effectiveness of the program has been shown in a large randomized controlled trial. The strong evidence on KiVa was important to Finland Oman School as well:
- The experience and the results convinced us. We are proud to be a part of the community of international KiVa schools, Ms. Merensky concludes.
KIVA PROGRAM IN NUTSHELL
- KiVa is an evidence-based program developed by the University of Turku, Finland.
- KiVa prevents and tackles bullying in schools.
- Program includes preventive actions for the entire school and actions to tackle bullying cases that come to the attention of school staff.
- KiVa reduces bullying and victimisation significantly. It has positive effects on school liking and academic motivation.
UNIQUE FEATURES OF KIVA
- Strong evidence on effectiveness
- Clear guidelines on what to do, when to do and how to do
- Large variety of materials for students, teachers and parents
- Annual monitoring scheme