Schools are fast becoming a breeding ground for violence, fresh statistics show.
There has been an alarming spike in violent incidents at public schools in NSW and the latest crime and violence data reveals it’s jumped by 60 per cent in just one year.
Public education staff are reporting a daily average of 16 incidents across Sydney schools, 9News can reveal.
READ MORE: Shock $29m find spotted on airport x-ray
Most of these violent incidents are happening in Sydney’s west and south-west, including suburbs such as Bankstown, Penrith, Liverpool and Fairfield.
There were a grand total of 453 incidents in 2023 across these suburbs.
In comparison, schools in the northern suburbs of Sydney saw 275 incidents, while those in the south saw 261 incidents.
Incidents involving weapons have skyrocketed by 10 per cent (360 incidents in 2022, 738 incidents in 2023) over those two years.
Criminal activity is on the rise too, up by 85 per cent in 2023.
The statistics show students in NSW are exposed to a crime at school every four days on average.
READ MORE: Expert’s huge Afterpay warning after major change in app
Sarah Mitchell, NSW Shadow Minister for Education, said the spate of crime and violence in NSW schools is “frightening”.
“It distracts the teachers, it makes the students and staff feel unsafe and I really do think it sets back any educational outcomes if you’ve got a number of issues happening at particular schools,” she said.
The state government is introducing a new behaviour policy in January in a bid to curb violent outbursts, including measures to make it easier for principals to suspend students.
FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, celebrity and sport via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.
links to content on ABC
9News
