MOU Facilitating Restorative Justice Practices in Schools to be Amended

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Education and Youth for the use of restorative justice practices in schools is to be amended.

The Education Ministry’s Director for Safety and Security in Schools, Richard Troupe, says the MOU will be revised to include mandatory referral of students suspended for their involvement in conflicts at school to restorative justice centres for interventions, during the periods they are away from the institutions.

“This will be a condition for their return to school. The parents of the students involved and other key stakeholders will also participate in the proposed intervention,” Mr. Troupe said.

He was speaking during the 14th annual restorative justice conference at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel in Kingston, on February 10.

The MOU, which was signed by the Ministries on May 3, 2022, facilitates the use of restorative justice practices in conflict resolution interventions in schools.

Mr. Troupe informed that 80 per cent of Jamaican children experience some form of psychological or physical violence administered as discipline, 65 per cent of students are bullied at school, while 79 per cent of youngsters have witnessed violence in their homes and communities.

Meanwhile, the Ministries will be engaging an additional 15,000 students, parents, and educators from 500 schools in restorative justice training programmes during the 2023/24 academic year

“The Ministries of Justice, and Youth have embraced the restorative justice training programme, because it works. We cannot continue to respond to violent conflicts by only issuing expulsions and suspensions. We have to equip our students with anger management and problem-solving skills with the use of restorative justice,” he emphasised.