Apply Security And Safety Policy To Deal With Student Infractions – Minister

School administrators are being encouraged to utilise the Ministry of Education and Youth’s Security and Safety Policy in dealing with student infractions at the institutions.

This urging by Portfolio Minister, Hon. Fayval Williams, comes against the background of violent student altercations, one fatal, occurring at several high schools since the start of 2022.

While acknowledging that principals and other school administrators are cognisant of how to treat with such incidents in the general management of their institutions, and endeavour to continually do so, Mrs. Williams said the Policy is available for their referral and invited them to “revisit, reread and reacquaint” themselves with the document.

She was speaking at a recent Ministry semi-virtual press conference on school security and safety.

During the briefing, she shared the extent of the Ministry’s interactions with administrators and students at the institutions where altercations have occurred since January, in dealing with the resulting trauma.

Mrs. Williams said the Policy stipulates zero-tolerance treatment of certain infractions, as declared by the Ministry and prescribed in law.

She pointed out that under the guidelines, principals must report such infractions to the relevant authorities, adding that “there is no discretion to ignore the offence if… zero-tolerance [has been stipulated]”.

She said the Policy further states that the principal and, where appropriate, the institution’s Board, must apply sanctions for the offence in accordance with the Code of Regulations and school rules.

“Principals and School Boards are encouraged to avoid unfair punishment… and ensure rehabilitative interventions, where necessary,” the Minister added.

Mrs. Williams noted that in the incidents reported, so far, this year, students used implements to cause harm and, as such, urged heightened vigilance by administrators in monitoring the youngsters.

The Minister said, beyond vigilance, the administrators with whom there were interactions were encouraged to utilise walk-through and hand-held metal detectors where these have been provided.

She advised that an audit of metal detectors at schools was being undertaken to ascertain the extent to which these were being used or have been provided and identify and address any gaps surfacing in that regard.

Mrs. Williams further informed that the Policy also makes provision for student searches at institutions for weapons by school officials and outlined the protocol facilitating this.

She explained that the protocol addresses factors justifying a search and the requisite accompanying documentation.

“So, the Security and Safety Policy [is] not a document that’s just there [on a shelf]. It provides the guidelines by which our schools can do what needs to be done to promote security and safety in our schools,” Minister Williams said.