Principals' perception on school bullying and safety

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety situation and the needs of the schools as well as figuring out the viewpoint of principals on school safety and school bullying. The research universe consists of principals administering primary and high schools belonging to the Turkish Education Ministry in the central districts of Adana province during the 2011-2013 academic year. The research sample contains 155 such principals selected by random sampling from the identified universe. In the study, the questionnaire form developed by the researcher was used as information collection tool. The questionnare form was developed by surveying the corresponding literature The questionnaire is composed of 4 sections. In the first section there are questions for identifying participating principals' personal characteristics as well as characteristics of the schools they manage. Second section consists of 12 questions prepared to identify risk factors for the school safety and 3rd section consists of 17 questions for identifying school safety preventive factors. 4th section consists of questions for identifying the security measures taken in the schools. Data analysis is made by calculating frequency and percentage values of the evidences obtained. Moreover, chi-square test was used to determine the relationship between variables As a result of the study; the most frequent risk factors are students with financial inability, regular unattending students and transfer students; least frequent risk factors are parents taking students from the school due to safety concerns resulted from mob activities, theft at school, mugging, harassment etc. The most frequent preventive factors are monitoring students outside the school environment, school-parents cooperation; the least frequent fatcors are publishing & distributing information books and flyers, involving students into the bullying prevention planning process as well as offering stutents attractive off-class time activities. Informing parents about students' unattendance and using camera monitoring system are the most frequent preventive measures taken at schools. On the other hand, employing private security personnal and having police or gendarme presence during in/out times of the school are the least frequently employed measures. Moreover, a significant difference between the districts where the principals serve and type, size, social-economic environment of the schools and existince of bullying was identified. Additionally, a significant difference between the physical security measures taken in the schools principals are serving and the education type, social-economic situation of the surroundings of the schools was found Keywords: School bullying, principals, school safety