Bullying rises among younger pupils

Bullying among younger pupils has increased each year since 2023, according to results from the Icelandic Youth Survey presented Monday, mbl.is reported.

The share of pupils in grades 4 and 5 who said they had been bullied rose from 18 per cent in 2023 to 22 per cent in 2026. Similar signs were seen among pupils in grades 6 and 7, with indications of a comparable trend among older pupils.

At the same time, most other measures of violence and safety showed signs of improvement, the survey announcement said. Among pupils in grades 8 to 10, domestic violence, sexual violence and harassment, fights, and physical assaults had declined. Most pupils also said they felt very safe at home and in their local surroundings.

The survey was conducted in spring 2026 among pupils in grades 4 to 10 at primary schools across Iceland. A total of 23,881 pupils from 153 schools took part. The overall response rate was 71.7 per cent, and it was 82.4 per cent within participating schools.