The municipal program ‘La Buena Mochila’, aimed at preventing school bullying and peer violence, reaches 1,200 students from 20 educational centers in Orihuela this year. The initiative, targeting students in 3rd and 4th grade of Primary Education, thus expands its reach compared to the first edition, which was carried out as a pilot project.
During the 2026/2027 academic year, the program will be implemented in schools in the urban center, its districts, and the coast, reaching 1,200 students organized into 48 groups. A total of 144 sessions will be conducted by municipal professionals, from October to March 2027. Participation has quadrupled compared to the first edition, which involved 5 centers.
The Councilor for Social Welfare, Agustina Rodríguez, explained that the program was created in response to identified needs in the municipality and that the positive results have encouraged its reinforcement. “We want to act preventatively and from an early age, so that children have tools to identify bullying, prevent it, and know how to act if they experience or witness it,” she stated.
Rodríguez highlighted the concern over the increase in violent behavior among minors that extends to the digital environment. “Cyberbullying prolongs the problem beyond school and means it doesn't end when the school day finishes. Therefore, we need early, comprehensive, and coordinated intervention that also considers the digital dimension,” she emphasized.
The program also aims to foster values such as respect, empathy, and positive coexistence, as well as to strengthen students' ability to recognize bullying situations and act promptly. The Councilor for Education, Vicente Pina, highlighted the role of the educational community and thanked the participating centers for their involvement.
Both councilors agreed on the importance of coordination between schools, municipal Social Services, and families for early detection of vulnerability situations and to offer adequate responses. “Our goal is that no child in Orihuela feels alone when facing a bullying situation,” the councilor concluded.
