Safety of Schoolchildren High on Priority Agenda – Dr. Chang

Minister of National Security, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang, says the Government is committed to ensuring the safety of the island’s schoolchildren.

“Education is a right, not a privilege, which all Jamaican children must be afforded, and that is the commitment of this Government as we move to not only increase the access, which we have, but to improve quality and provide the appropriate environment that our children can learn and grow in. That is the foundation on which we can build a successful country and maintain a stable and healthy community,” he emphasised.

Dr. Chang was addressing Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College’s Research Day, which was held on the campus in Granville, St. James, on Wednesday (February 28).

The Minister cited a study commissioned by the Security Ministry, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Youth last year, which covered the national assessment of the perception of school safety.

“This was scientific research that utilised rigorous methodology and sampling techniques. We are relying on data to guide our policy approach, to work with the various agencies of government to ensure a holistic approach based on the data and the research that is done,” Dr. Chang said.

The Minister pointed out that findings from the study indicated that students who spent more time at school felt safer.

“Extended day schools were perceived safer than whole day and shift schools. Students felt less safe off campus than they were on campus,” he informed.

The data also uncovered that school safety positively correlated to academic performance.

Dr. Chang pointed out that the findings of the study were crucial in shedding light on how crime has an impact on the effectiveness of education among the nation’s children.

The Minister highlighted that as a result of the findings from the study, the Ministry is collaborating with entities such as the Social Development Commission (SDC) and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security to work with school communities to implement programmes in an effort to increase the level of safety for students.

“Our response, therefore, was to design a comprehensive coordinated [approach] –one that extends beyond traditional national security and law-enforcement approaches and include measures that would address the root causes of social issues,” he said.

Dr. Chang noted, further, that research should be treated as a significant part of the island’s education sector, as it would augur well for its development and stop the growth and spread of crime.

“As a small, developing country, one of the things we tend to miss out on is the concept of research. If we are going to move from a developing to a developed country, research must be a critical part of our educational system; indeed, you will realise that a developed society spends billions on research,” he underscored.

“Unfortunately, in a country with limited resources, research tends to be given a secondary role. Our Minister of Finance looked at it and wants to put more resources there, but we must begin with our tertiary institutions. It is only research that will pull us out of poverty and underdevelopment,” Dr. Chang argued.

The event was held under the theme ‘The Impact of Crime on Education: The Western Jamaica Perspective’. As part of the day’s activities, key stakeholders made presentations on data uncovered through research findings done in relation to the theme.