Today, the tragic incident at “Idrak” Lyceum, which resulted in a 10th-grade student shooting their teacher, has caused deep concern in our society. The necessity of re-evaluating security issues in educational institutions has come to the forefront.
What control mechanisms can be implemented to timely identify potential risks in educational institutions?
Commenting on the issue to AzEdu.az, Member of the Science and Education Committee of the Milli Majlis, MP Ceyhun Məmmədov noted that this incident once again demonstrates that neither secondary educational institutions nor higher education institutions can be considered fully insured against security risks:
"It is true that in recent years, universities and schools have been taking significant steps towards strengthening security systems and striving to improve control mechanisms. However, incidents like this provide grounds to state that existing measures are still insufficient, and a more systematic, comprehensive, and proactive approach to security is required.
Today's incident, as well as the tragic event that occurred a few years ago at the Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University, once again demonstrates how relevant and vital the issue of security is in the educational environment. Such incidents should be at the center of attention not only for individual educational institutions but for society as a whole; their causes must be thoroughly investigated, and effective mechanisms should be established at an institutional level to prevent their recurrence".
In the modern world order, security is no longer limited solely to physical protection:
"This concept also encompasses psychological stability, social well-being, and healthy public relations. Especially in an era of rapidly increasing globalization and digitalization, the uncontrolled exposure of young people to information flow, and the influence of social networks and various digital platforms on their way of thinking, are among the factors causing serious concern.
In some cases, violence-themed posts, aggressive behavior models, and destructive ideas can negatively affect the psychological state of adolescents, creating a basis for the formation of risky behaviors. At the same time, tensions observed in the system of public relations, existing gaps in family and school upbringing mechanisms, and the insufficient development of psychological support institutions are also factors that make this problem even more pressing.
The timely assessment of young people's emotional state, the early detection of changes in their behavior, and the implementation of appropriate preventive measures are of particular importance in this regard. Considering these realities, it can be said that the issue of security cannot be resolved solely through administrative control measures".
The MP stated that professional psychological services in schools and universities should be strengthened:
"The organization of individual work with students and pupils belonging to risk groups, the deepening of parent-school cooperation, as well as the application of security technologies, should be carried out in parallel. Furthermore, the formation of a safe and healthy social environment in educational institutions, and the promotion of mutual respect and trust, should also be one of the main components of a preventive approach.
Otherwise, if necessary steps are not taken in this direction, the likelihood of encountering more complex and severe problems in the future increases. Therefore, security issues should be approached not episodically, but continuously and strategically, and new policies and practical mechanisms should be developed in accordance with existing challenges. This is one of the essential conditions not only for the educational environment but also for the stability and healthy development of society as a whole".
