The Ministry of Education says that Community police staff will now be stationed at schools grappling with outbreaks of student violence.
It says that a request has been made for patrols around their compounds and nearby environs.
Since their return to physical school on Tuesday, videos have begun circulating on social media of fights involving secondary school students nationwide.
While the Ministry of Education has convened an inter-ministerial committee to revise the School Discipline Matrix, it’s not expected to present its recommendations until the end of the first week of May.
In a release issued yesterday the Education Ministry stated the Community Police, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, assigned dedicated staff to each of the 15 Secondary Schools where violence incidents have been seen to be most prevalent. These schools also have dedicated Guidance Councillors and School Social Workers,” it said.
Pending the committee’s recommendations, it said the Ministry also formally wrote acting Commissioner of Police Mc Donald Jacob for advice on the procedure for removing violent students from the school environment “to one which can offer them rehabilitative services.”
It added: “The TTPS has also been asked to immediately provide patrols directly outside of the schools in question, as well as in their vicinity, at the close of the school day, to deter students from violent outbursts.”
The ministry said it will pursue further discussions with the Commissioner of Police to have officers temporarily stationed in the 15 identified problem schools.
COMMENTS