16,000 Students in ZOSO Communities to Benefit from Behavioural Interventions

A total of 16,000 students at 25 primary and high schools, based in Zones of Special Operations (ZOSOs), will be targetted for behavioural interventions.

Education and Youth Minister, Hon. Fayval Williams, says the inter-Ministerial strategy will be operationalised later this month.

She was addressing the semi-virtual launch of the Ministry’s violence prevention initiative, ‘Just Medz It’, at Wolmer’s Boys’ School in Kingston, on Wednesday (October 19)

The initiative forms part of the Ministry’s programmed interventions to curb violence in schools.

“The Just Medz It end violence in school campaign seeks to empower education stakeholders, in particular students, with additional tools for the amicable resolution of conflict. Stakeholders need to think critically and carefully weigh their actions and the likely consequences in situations of verbal or physical conflict. We are all hoping that through this campaign, we can begin to see some changes,” Mrs. Williams said.

Other initiatives being spearheaded by the Ministry include activities for Anti-Gang Week, which will be observed in mid-November.

These aim to sensitise stakeholders on how to identify gangs in schools and will be the primary focus during the week.

The Ministry will also spearhead a Safe Schools Perception Survey among its stakeholders in November.

Mrs. Williams said the Ministries of Education and Justice will further strengthen their collaboration to train education stakeholders in restorative justice practices.

The Ministry will also be partnering with the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) in its campaign to end violence in schools.

Additionally, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) will convene a round table of best practices exchange later this month.

The discussions will focus on the issue of gangs in schools.