The report also shows that bullying increased in Switzerland much more than in other comparable European countries, when compared to 2015 figures.
The report looked at eight countries across Europe in regards to bullying and harassment, finding that students in Swiss schools were more likely to be the victim of bullying than their counterparts in France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Finland and Luxembourg.
Released on Tuesday, the international PISA rankings have caused a stir in Switzerland – particularly with the revelation that Swiss reading standards continue to fall behind a number of comparable nations.
READ: International rankings showcase Switzerland’s school struggles
From rumours to threats, bullying of all kinds is on the increase
The PISA study asked students if they were the victim of various kinds of bullying in the recent year.
More than one in ten (13 percent) said other students had laughed at them or mocked them at least several times per month, up from 11 percent in 2015.
Spreading false, negative or harmful rumours was also a problem, with 11 percent of Swiss students falling victim in 2018 – up from seven percent in 2015.
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Perhaps most concerning for parents and students in Switzerland however was the prevalence of threats and violent behaviour.
In 2018, seven percent of respondents said they had been the victim of physical aggression, with the 2015 figure at three percent.
Similarly, seven percent said they felt threatened “several times per month” – an increase from three percent in 2015.
The PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) study is the world’s largest international comparative school performance study, taking into account responses from 600,000 pupils from 79 countries.
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All pupils are aged 15. In total, 5,888 Swiss students took part in the study.
Both Swiss and Expat kids living here already knew this. All of the kids we know talk about it. There seems to be a strange cultural tolerance for bullying which is hard to understand given how important the well being of the group and manners are in Switzerland