Support for Siblings of Children With Complex Care Needs: Public Health Nurses' Perceptions of Their Role in Primary Schools.

AIM: To explore the role of public health nurses (PHNs) in Norwegian primary school health services in supporting siblings who have a brother or a sister with complex care needs. DESIGN: A qualitative, exploratory design using focus groups combined with visual methods. METHODS: Nineteen Norwegian PHNs participated in three focus group discussions between May and September 2022. The nurses were asked to draw themselves as PHNs working in primary schools. Braun and Clarke's reflexive thematic approach was used to analyse the transcribed interviews. The drawings were analysed using critical visual analysis methodology. RESULTS: The findings revealed that PHNs in primary schools focused on establishing good relationships and found it important to be flexible and creative. However, a challenge to successful service provision in supporting siblings and their families was that the nurses lacked support for the implementation of health promotion interventions and often felt alone. The analysis elicited three main themes: 'the importance of relationships and flexibility in meeting siblings' needs', 'feeling alone with responsibility for supporting siblings' and 'the forgotten children: a need for coordinated services'. CONCLUSION: PHNs in school health services are in a unique position to provide support to improve siblings' mental health and well-being. To fully benefit from PHNs' potential to support siblings, there is a need to clarify guidelines and develop evidence-based interventions. IMPACT: This study provides valuable insights for health authorities, educators and practitioners on what inhibits sibling support in Norway. The study highlights the potential for PHNs to play a significant role in delivering timely health-promoting interventions for these siblings in school settings independent of context. REPORTING METHOD: This study was reported in accordance with the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ). PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution.

School-Level Data on COVID-19 Cases, Quarantines, and Student Absenteeism During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Understanding Missingness.

This study aims to understand availability of school-based infectious disease surveillance data (e.g., COVID-19 cases, student absences) based on experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic using a national sample of public K-12 schools (n = 1,602). Based on surveys administered to school administrators throughout the 2021-2022 school year, we found high levels of missingness data for school-level COVID-19 cases, quarantines, and student absenteeism, increasing missingness over time, and variations in missingness by school characteristics (e.g., school size) and protocols (e.g., having a school-based system to report at-home COVID-19 tests). For the same sample of schools, using data requests to health departments, we found similarly high levels of missingness of school-level COVID-19 case data and varying approaches in data collection. Developing nationally standardized case definitions-and systems to surveil or collect and monitor school-based infectious disease outcomes early in a public health emergency-may be helpful in producing actionable data.

Exploring strategies, programs, and influencing factors for integrating social accountability into undergraduate medical education: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Social accountability (SA) measures institutional responses to societal needs. For medical education to be socially accountable, institutions must be equitably accessible and commit to training physicians who can work with communities to address health disparities. This scoping review aimed to explore the integration of social accountability into undergraduate medical education and examine the various ways it is implemented. METHODS: The authors searched PubMed, OVID Medline, CINAHL, ERIC and Scopus electronic databases for articles published between January 1995 and June 2023 to explore how SA is integrated into undergraduate medical education. The enhanced version of Arksey's and O'Malley's six-stage protocol was used. Analysis was done using the thematic analysis approach. RESULTS: Eight hundred twenty-six articles were retrieved in the preliminary search. After the screening, 17 articles were included for final review. From the findings, three thematic areas were derived, which included strategies applied in incorporating SA into undergraduate medical education, factors influencing the adoption of SA into undergraduate medical education, and programmes used to translate SA into undergraduate medical education. CONCLUSION: This scoping review provides a comprehensive overview of the strategies, programs, and influencing factors related to the integration of social accountability into undergraduate medical education. The implementation of SA in undergraduate medical education is still very slow across the globe, there is an urgent need for a continued push towards making medical schools socially accountable.

Inclusive education and related policies in special needs schools in South Africa.

Background: Post-apartheid, the education system shifted its focus from a segregated education system to an inclusive education system, which resulted in greater consideration of the role and function of special needs schools. In 2014 the National Department of Basic Education developed and implemented an inclusive approach and policies to provide guidelines on the running of special needs schools (SNS). The study was conducted in six SNS in Ekurhuleni South District, South Africa. Objectives: The study explored the experiences of teachers and healthcare workers when implementing policies in SNS in the study area. Method: This exploratory qualitative study used purposive sampling to select 13 teachers and healthcare workers for in-depth interviews. Collected data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis and ATLAS-ti version 23. Results: Teachers and healthcare workers had different working experiences and understandings about inclusive education and policies, as well as their role in implementing these policies. Experienced challenges included lack of training, limited resources, lack of parental support, issues with differentiated curriculum, an unacceptable teaching environment; and poor referral systems. These challenges evoked strategies such as improvising, collaborating, and referring. Participants indicated that they required further training, resources, and support to successfully implement inclusive policies. Conclusion: Both teachers and healthcare workers agreed that resources were lacking at all SNS represented. Staff training was urgently needed as the current curricula at SNS were differentiated for learners with physical and intellectual disabilities. Contribution: Findings may inform policy implementation and change in SNS.

Shaping teachers' organizational citizenship behavior through self-efficacy and trust in colleagues: moderating role of collective efficacy.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The aims of this study are: (1) to examine the mediating effect of teacher self-efficacy on the relationship between trust in colleagues and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB); and (2) to evaluate the moderating effect of collective efficacy on the relationships between teachers' self-efficacy and OCB, as well as between trust in colleagues and OCB. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The cross-sectional data were based on 408 sets of usable questionnaires collected from teachers who worked in government schools in Malaysia. The partial least square structural equation modeling technique was used to test the model and hypotheses. FINDINGS: The results indicate that trust in colleagues is positively related to organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and teacher self-efficacy. Additionally, teacher self-efficacy and OCB are also positively related. Furthermore, the relationship between trust in colleagues and OCB is partially mediated by teacher self-efficacy. Moreover, collective efficacy significantly moderates the path between teacher self-efficacy and OCB but not between trust in colleagues and OCB. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: Despite earlier studies examining the relationship between trust, teacher self-efficacy, and OCB, little is known about the mediating mechanism of teacher self-efficacy and the moderating effect of collective efficacy. Thus, this present study makes significant contributions in both theoretical and practical aspects.

The Knowledge and Perceptions of Patient Safety and Patient Safety Culture During Dental Training: A Caribbean Perspective.

Introduction: Patient safety and the culture of keeping patients safe are not well-researched concepts in dentistry. Research is lacking on patient safety culture in dental teaching hospitals. Objective: This study examined the knowledge and perceptions of patient safety and patient safety culture in a Caribbean dental school among clinical faculty, dental surgery assistants and recent graduates. Method: A qualitative research design using an anonymous online open-ended questionnaire, which underwent face validity by three subject matter experts, was used to acquire data to answer three developed research questions. Qualitative data was uploaded to QDA Miner and a five-stage thematic analysis using emergent coding was used to develop themes to answer the research questions. Results: Qualitative data was obtained from 28 respondents, 12 clinical faculty, 10 recent graduates, and 6 dental surgery assistants. Four participants graduated in 2020, 1 graduated in 2021, and 5 graduated in 2022. The ages of participants ranged from 23 to 74 years. Themes used to answer the research questions included: the application of a clinical knowledge-based framework for the understanding of patient safety, understanding the individual elements of patient safety culture, gatekeepers of patient safety, and understanding personal limitations. Conclusion: Clinical and curriculum leaders at this dental school should consider the introduction of a patient safety curriculum given respondents understand patient safety from a clinical experiential perspective only and many respondents perceive patient safety culture as being guided predominantly by rules and policies with clinical faculty bearing the ultimate responsibility for keeping patients safe.

The adoption and implementation of local government planning policy to manage hot food takeaways near schools in England: A qualitative process evaluation.

INTRODUCTION: Access to hot food takeaways, particularly near schools, is of growing concern for policymakers seeking to reduce childhood obesity globally. In England, United Kingdom (UK), local government jurisdictions are implementing planning policies to reduce access by restricting or denying planning permission for new takeaway outlets near schools. We used a qualitative approach to explore local government officers' perspectives on the barriers to and facilitators of the adoption, implementation, and perceived effectiveness of these policies. METHODS: In 2021-2022, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 29 local planning ('planners') and public health government officers from 15 different local authorities across England who adopted a policy to restrict new takeaways. Data were analysed thematically. RESULTS: Participants explained that they mostly thought the policies facilitated the refusal of applications for new takeaways near schools. However, participants speculated that businesses identified alternative opportunities to operate including functioning as 'restaurants' or within other locations. Effective working relationships between planners and public health officers were important for adoption and implementation, although planning and public health agendas did not always align and there were tensions between economic development and health improvement goals. The policy was adapted to suit local needs and priorities; in some cases, the policy was not used in areas where economic growth was prioritised. Clarity in policy wording and establishing a formal process for implementing policies including a designated individual responsible for checking and reviewing takeaway applications helped ensure consistency and confidence in policy implementation. CONCLUSION: Although sometimes challenging, the policies were commonly described as feasible to implement. However, they may not completely prevent new takeaways opening, particularly where takeaways are relied upon to enhance local economies or where takeaway businesses find alternative ways to operate. Nevertheless, the policies can serve to shift the balance of power that currently favours commercial interests over public health priorities.

National school food standards in England: a cross-sectional study to explore compliance in secondary schools and impact on pupil nutritional intake.

BACKGROUND: Many countries have introduced school food standards to improve the dietary intakes of school-aged children. England has school food standards (SFS) legislation in place but little is known about how well secondary schools comply with this. We aimed to assess compliance with the SFS legislation in English secondary schools and explore the impact of the SFS on pupils' nutritional intake. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study with English secondary schools from 2019 to 2022. We compared SFS compliance and pupil nutritional intake in schools mandated or not mandated to comply with the SFS legislation, and explored the association between school compliance and pupil nutritional intake. We assessed the percentage of SFS (%SFS) complied with by reviewing school food menus and observing food served in school canteens. We assessed pupil nutritional intake using a 24-hour dietary recall measure (Intake24) and estimated intakes of free sugar (primary outcome) and other nutrients/foods. We used adjusted multilevel models to compare pupil intakes in the SFS-mandated and SFS-non-mandated schools, and to explore the association between school SFS compliance and pupil intakes. RESULTS: 36 schools (23 not mandated and 13 mandated to comply with the SFS) and 2,273 pupils participated. The median %SFS complied with was 63.9% (interquartile range 60.0-70.0%). This was similar for SFS-non-mandated (64.5%) and SFS-mandated schools (63.3%). Compliance was highest for standards applying to lunchtime (median = 81.3%) and lowest for those applying across the whole school day (median = 41.7%). It was also lower for standards restricting high fat, sugar and energy-dense items (median = 26.1%) than for standards aiming to increase dietary variety (median = 92.3%). Pupils from SFS-mandated schools had a lower mean lunchtime intake of free sugar (g) (adjusted mean difference: -2.78g; 95% CI: -4.66g to -0.90g). There were few significant associations between %SFS complied with and pupil nutritional intake. CONCLUSIONS: English secondary schools do not fully comply with SFS legislation regardless of whether they are mandated to comply. Schools and caterers may require monitoring and support to fully comply. There is little evidence that SFS compliance is associated with better pupil nutritional intake. Food environments outside of school also need to be considered. STUDY REGISTRATION: ISRCTN68757496 (17-10-2019).

Epidemiological characteristics of influenza outbreaks in schools in Jiangsu Province, China, 2020-2023 post-COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to analyze the epidemic characteristics and influencing factors of school influenza outbreaks in Jiangsu Province, China from 2020 to 2023,following the COVID-19 pandemic, to inform prevention and control strategies. METHODS: Data on influenza-like illness(ILI) outbreaks from the Chinese Influenza Surveillance Information System and national-level influenza surveillance sentinel hospitals were analyzed. The temporal distribution, school type, virus strains, and outbreak scales were examined using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: From 2020 to 2023, 1142 influenza outbreaks occurred in schools, with primary schools(ages 6 to 12) accounting for 71.80%. Most large outbreaks were caused by A(H1N1) and A(H3N2), responsible for 8.99% of total outbreaks. Outbreaks were predominantly reported in the pre-peak periods of B(Victoria) and A(H1N1) circulation, accounting for 86.31% and 92.32% of their respective total outbreaks. No concurrent influenza and COVID-19 outbreaks were observed during the study period. CONCLUSION: Primary and secondary schools are high-risk settings for influenza outbreaks. A(H3N2) shows higher adaptability and is more likely to co-circulate with other subtypes/lineages, especially A(H1N1), leading to larger outbreaks. B(Victoria)-caused outbreaks are more frequent but smaller in scale. School influenza outbreaks are more likely to occur during the early stages of seasonal peaks, particularly for B(Victoria) and A(H1N1). This suggests that influenza outbreaks in schools may play a crucial role in seeding and accelerating the spread of the virus within the broader community.

Epidemiology of intestinal parasitosis in schoolchildren in the Moughatâa of Riyadh (Nouakchott).

INTRODUCTION: Intestinal parasitoses are very common in school and in Mauritania few external studies address the issue. Several risk factors are known for intestinal parasitosis, including fecal danger, promiscuity and contaminated food Objective: To describe the epidemiology of intestinal parasitosis in school-age children in the Moughatâa (department) of Riyadh in Nouakchott (Mauritania) and the associated risk factors. METHODS: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study lasting three months, at the level of a random sample of pupils enrolled in five primary schools in the Moughatâa of Riyadh, as well as the foods sold in front of the establishments included. The data was collected through an anamnestic and clinical observation grid, as well as stool and food samples exposed in front of the schools included. The parasitological examination of the stools was carried out at the National Institute of Public Health Research (INRSP) in Nouakchott, by the methods of modified Ritchie and Kato-Katz. For food, a microbiological analysis looking for fecal colibacilli is carried out. RESULTS: The study population was composed of 337 students with a sex ratio of 0.76. The prevalence of parasitosis in the study population was 46% (95% CI [40.75%-51.33%]): Boys (48.6%), 95% CI [40.66%-56.67%]); Girls (43.9%), 95% CI [37.13%-51.07%]. The spectrum of these parasitic intestinal diseases was dominated by protozoa (51.6%) and helminthiasis represented 10.4% and characterized by mono parasitism (31.8%). The food sold in front of the schools studied was contaminated with coli bacteria, in 54.5% of cases. CONCLUSION: The high prevalence of intestinal parasitosis in the primary schools studied and the contamination of food sold to students, require the strengthening of the strategy to fight against diseases of fecal peril and school and public hygiene, in the Moughatâa of Riyadh (Nouakchott).

Teach to say "NO" - A mixed methods evaluation of a child sexual abuse prevention training for primary school teachers in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Child sexual abuse is a point of contention around the world. Protecting children from sexual abuse and ensuring primary prevention approaches has been a predominant task for LMICs. The research objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of the "teach to say-NO" blended theory-based CSA prevention program by measuring knowledge and attitudes and analyzing the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention among primary school teachers in a school environment. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: In total, 146 primary schoolteachers from 27 public schools in Phnom Penh, Cambodia were employed. and 29 teachers were employed for the qualitative study. METHOD: The study was designed as a mixed-method study, consisting of a quasi-experimental study and a qualitative case study. The "teach to say-NO" program was delivered to intervention schoolteachers for 4 weeks. Both groups completed knowledge and attitude questionnaires at baseline, first, and second follow-up. The qualitative study was evaluated through in-depth face-to-face interviews conducted to analyze the feasibility and acceptability of intervention. RESULTS: Study participants had poor knowledge on CSA and at baseline the knowledge (t = 0.72, d = 0.131) and attitude (t = -0.069, d = -0.011) scores between the intervention and comparison groups were the same. After the intervention participants demonstrated a significant improvement (p < 0.05) within and between groups. The feasibility and acceptability of the intervention "teach to say-NO" themes were coded into three main areas: interest of participation, challenging factors, and benefits. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest the presence of knowledge gaps concerning child sexual abuse among teachers, thus highlighting the imperative for training in this field to enhance teachers' knowledge on CSA prevention.

Navigating and Resisting Educational Systems: The Experiences of Latinx Families in Rural Oregon.

This study explores the experiences of Latinx parents in rural Oregon from the perspectives of Latinx parents, Latinx students, and community practitioners to understand the barriers Latinx families encounter and how they leverage their community cultural wealth to address these barriers within the context of initiatives implemented by the district. This qualitative study is guided by the following questions: What barriers do Latinx families encounter in rural schools, and how do parents leverage their community cultural wealth to address these barriers? Findings indicate that even when families were engaged in initiatives (e.g., dual language immersion programs) implemented by the district to create a welcoming environment, Latinx parents continued to encounter multiple systemic barriers (e.g., immigration laws) and leveraged multiple forms of community cultural wealth (e.g., linguistic capital) to navigate these barriers. Our findings reveal the complex dynamics at play in rural school communities serving Latinx families.

Legionella in Primary School Hot Water Systems from Two Municipalities in the Danish Capital Region.

Legionella contamination in public water systems poses significant health risks, particularly in schools where vulnerable populations, including children, regularly use these facilities. This study investigates the presence of Legionella in the hot water systems from 49 primary schools across two municipalities in the Danish capital region. Water samples were collected from taps in each school, and both first-flush and stabile temperature samples were analysed for Legionella contents. The findings revealed that 97% of schools in Municipality 1 and 100% in Municipality 2 had Legionella in their hot water systems. The content of Legionella colonies was significantly higher in schools in Municipality 1, which was probably because of overall lower water temperatures. At stabile temperatures, 76% and 50% of the schools in the two municipalities exceeded the European Union's recommended limit of 1000 CFU/L. Stabile peripheral water temperatures were achieved after 3 min. Tap water temperatures above 54 °C and central tank temperatures above 59 °C were associated with Legionella contents below 1000 CFU/L. This study highlights the need for more stringent Legionella control procedures in schools, including higher water temperatures and refining Legionella reducing interventions with the addition of regular flow and draining procedures.

Development and evaluation of an online professional development course to support delivery of tiered school-based rehabilitation services.

PURPOSE: The Facilitating Integration of Rehabilitation Services Through Training (FIRST) Course provides online professional development on tiered service delivery models for rehabilitation professionals working in education settings. Created by content and e-learning experts, this study describes our use of the Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation (ADDIE) instructional design model and the Successive Approximation Model (SAM) to develop, implement, and evaluate the FIRST Course, and reports the findings of an initial program evaluation. METHOD: Rehabilitation professionals who completed the FIRST Course were invited to complete a cross-sectional survey to evaluate its utility. RESULTS: Between May 1, 2020, and August 11, 2023, 314 occupational therapists, 54 physiotherapists, and 170 speech-language pathologists completed the online course and survey. Respondents perceived the FIRST Course content to be relevant to their practice and to meet their learning needs regarding tiered services in education settings. Most respondents viewed the course positively and would recommend it to colleagues. More experienced respondents suggested a need for training on tiered service delivery models beyond an introductory level. CONCLUSIONS: The ADDIE and SAM instructional design models were successfully applied to develop, implement, and evaluate online professional development for school-based rehabilitation professionals who wish to learn about tiered service delivery models.

Developers wishing to offer online professional development in the field of rehabilitation are encouraged to engage both content experts and e-learning experts when applying instructional design models such as ADDIE and SAM. Incorporating input from the intended rehabilitation professionals will ensure success.Our program evaluation shows that the FIRST Course reaches the target audience of occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and speech-language pathologists, and meets their learning needs for tiered service delivery models in education settings.

School Meal Charge Policies Lack Consistency.

This report discusses school meal charge policies nationwide, with an in-depth look at the contents of these policies in North Carolina. The US Department of Agriculture requires school districts to have policies related to unpaid school meal charges; however, there are no specific requirements for what must be included in these policies. School meal charge policies vary across North Carolina and the US. Many policies are vague, and some include provisions that may be harmful to children and families. The implications of these findings, including the suggested direction of future research and potential policy solutions, are discussed.

Development and application of an evaluation tool for school food culture in elementary, middle, and high schools in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: To encourage schools to transform school meal programs to be more educational, it is necessary to evaluate the related environment using a whole school approach. We developed a school food culture evaluation tool to quantitatively evaluate school food culture in Gyeonggi Province, Korea. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Based on a literature review, a school food culture evaluation system consisting of areas, subareas, indicators, and questions (scored on a 5-point scale) was constructed. The validity of the tool was reviewed using focus group interviews, the Delphi technique, and a preliminary survey. Subsequently, evaluation tool was applied to elementary, middle, and high schools in Gyeonggi Province. Data from 115 schools were used for the final analysis. This included 64 elementary schools, 29 middle schools, and 22 high schools. At least one respondent from each group-school administrators, teachers, and nutrition teachers (or dietitians)-participated. The results were compared at the school level. RESULTS: The evaluation tool consisted of 66 questions in 5 areas (institutional environment, physical environment, educational environment, educational governance, and school meal quality). The total average score for school food culture was 3.83 points (elementary school 3.89 points, middle school 3.76 points, and high school 3.76 points) and did not differ significantly among school levels. Among the 5 evaluation areas, scores were highest for institutional environment (4.43 points) and lowest for physical environment (3.07 points). Scores for educational environment, educational governance, and school meal quality were 3.86, 3.85, and 3.97 points, respectively. CONCLUSION: It is necessary to improve the physical environment to create a desirable school food culture in Gyeonggi Province. To effectively promote healthy eating, ongoing investment and interventions by local authorities at improving school food culture are needed, with an emphasis on particular factors, such as the eating environment and staff training.

Co-creation and implementation of a healthy lunch at Dutch primary schools in disadvantaged neighbourhoods: design of a cluster randomised cross-over effectiveness study.

INTRODUCTION: The majority of children fails to have a healthy diet. Providing a healthy lunch at school is a way to target all children, regardless of ethnic and socioeconomic background. This study aims to investigate the effectivity and feasibility of a co-created healthy school lunch in disadvantaged neighbourhoods of the city of Rotterdam, the Netherlands. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is a cluster randomised cross-over trial with five participating primary schools. Schools will be randomised to have an 18 week healthy school lunch the first or second half of the academic year. The other half of the academic year, children will bring their own lunch from home. A tailored lunch concept for each school will be co-created with school staff, parents, children and key-stakeholders.Primary outcome is the dietary content of children's lunches, assessed by observations for all children. Secondary outcomes include healthy lunch-related parameters, like general dietary behaviour, perceived health, taste preferences, concentration in class, and some feasibility outcomes, like satisfaction, implementation at school and affordability for parents. Secondary outcomes will be assessed by questionnaires for children (grades 5-8), parents and teachers. The observations and questionnaires for children and parents will be completed at baseline (September 2023), half way the academic year (January-February 2024) and at the end of the academic year (June-July 2024). Teachers will complete a monthly questionnaire starting in September 2023. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study obtained ethical approval from the Institutional research Review Board Erasmus MC of Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Informed consent will be collected from all participants (parents, teachers and children 12 years or older) and/or their parents (for children under the age of 16). The findings will be disseminated by conference presentations and publications in scientific peer-reviewed journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT06058325.

Prevalence of bullying among pupils in Baghdad.

Objective: To find out the prevalence of bullying among primary school students in an urban centre, and to categorise its types. METHODS: The descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted from October 1, 2018, to March 31, 2019, in Baghdad, Iraq, and comprised primary school children of either gender aged 9-15 years studying in schools in all the 3 directorates of the Al-Karkh side of the city. Data was collected through face-to-face interviews with the subjects, from school data, and through interaction with social-guide teachers of the respective classes. Data was analysed using SPSS 28. RESULTS: Of the 1,000 subjects from 50 schools, 537(53.7) were girls, 322(32.2%) were aged 11 years and 409(40.9%) were in the fifth grade. Overall, 146(14.6%) students reported having been bullied, 29(2.9%) were bullies themselves, while 59(5.9%) were both bullies and the bullied. It was found that almost quarter of pupils take part in bullying other pupils and almost 20% of pupils were kicked, pushed or hit by other Pupils during the last month. CONCLUSIONS: Bullying was found to be prevalent in the study's sample. No clear legislation is present to prevent or control the social problem that has a significant effect on the mental and behavioural burden on students.

Mapping the relationship and influence of school internal factors with an eye towards students' science academic outcomes.

The present research sought to explore the relationship between school internal factors and their influence on students' academic outcomes in science subjects at the secondary school level in Punjab, Pakistan. A quantitative survey method was employed, utilizing a self-administered questionnaire to collect data on school internal factors, including laboratories, curriculum, and teacher quality, and students' science academic outcomes. The study sampled 210 secondary schools across Punjab, encompassing 630 science teachers specializing in biology, physics, and chemistry. Three hypotheses were formulated and tested. The constructs' underlying structure was examined through both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, using the PLS-PM Path Modeling approach to support these analyses. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) revealed that the measurement model demonstrated internal consistency. The path analysis results indicated that laboratories, curriculum, and teacher quality significantly and positively influence students' academic outcome in science subjects. The study concludes that enhancing the resourcefulness of science educators is crucial, particularly through the provision of support materials for science teaching and learning. This support enables students to engage in experimental learning, develop critical thinking skills, and explore innovative approaches to problem-solving. Furthermore, the findings emphasize the importance of regularly reviewing and updating the secondary school curriculum to ensure its quality. The recruitment of certified teachers with advanced degrees in relevant fields and the provision of ongoing professional development for educators are also recommended to improve academic outcomes in science.