As reported by Agência Lusa and published in Observador on June 12, 2024, the number of violence cases reported to the Commission for the Protection of Children and Adolescents (CPCJ) has surpassed ten thousand. Schools are reluctant to report these incidents to the public prosecutor’s office due to concerns that it might endanger the lives of the involved students.

During a parliamentary hearing, the president of the National Commission for the Promotion of the Rights and Protection of Children and Adolescents (CNPDPCJ) emphasized that the most significant issues involve students aged 12 to 16, who should be referred to the Public Prosecutor’s Office.

“We are facing serious violence in schools,” the CNPDPCJ president told members of the Parliamentary Committee on Education and Science, referencing acts such as bodily harm, verbal abuse, property destruction, and petty theft.

The expert advocated for the immediate reporting of these cases to the Public Prosecutor’s Office to initiate an educational guardianship procedure. This measure aims to provide timely support to students to prevent the devaluation of their behavior, which could lead to more severe consequences by age 16. The goal is to ensure students understand the seriousness of their actions and have the opportunity to correct their behavior before the consequences escalate in adulthood.