Education Minister Fayval Williams says the ministry will be assessing the effectiveness of all its violence prevention programmes in an effort to bolster those measures that have been working.
The minister’s response follows an open letter to her by Opposition Spokesperson on Education, Senator Damion Crawford, who unveiled 17 recommendations he believes can help fix the problem of violence in schools.
Daina Davy reports.
Over the last two weeks, the education ministry has been forced to address several incidents of violence involving high school children.
At least two incidents have resulted in the deaths of two school boys. Others have been injured.
The incidents have ranged from a feud between two corporate area schools, the stabbing death of a male student outside the gates of Irwin High, the injuring of a female student by another peer at Meadowbrook High and the fatal shooting of a Grange Hill High schoolboy by gunmen.
A female student at Grange Hill was shot and injured in that incident on Thursday afternoon.
Minister Williams says they’ll have to assess all their violence prevention programmes in schools.
Opposition Spokesperson on Education, Senator Damion Crawford, has suggested the establishment of departments of socialisation in all public schools, led by guidance counsellors and staffed by trained form teachers.
He has also recommended after-school mobile police patrols in school areas and an increase Deans of Discipline to improve student support services.
Minister Williams says a socialisation department already exists. She also noted that there continues to be significant involvement from the police.
Senator Crawford in his open letter, also proposed a revision of detention practices to focus on long term peace education.
Minister Williams says many programmes on peace education currently exists. She says among these is a partnership with the Jamaica Conservation Development Trust where therapeutic sessions are conducted.
Minister Williams says there is a psychosocial week, restorative practices and parenting sessions.
While she points to several existing programmes, the education minister says she’s always open to hearing proposals from the opposition.
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