School Safety Week from October 26 to 31

The Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, will observe School Safety Week from October 26 to 31, under the theme ‘Safe Schools. Stronger Futures. Together for Resilience’.

The observance will coincide with Fire and Life Safety Awareness Week, under the theme ‘Safe Home, Safe Communities, the Power of Prevention’.

National Coordinator of the School Safety and Security Branch, Richard Troupe, told JIS News that School Safety Week will reinforce the importance of safe learning environments and strengthen collaboration among stakeholders.

It will also highlight the role of students and communities in preventing school violence, advancing disaster risk reduction, and building resilience. “School Safety Week 2025 aims to raise awareness about school safety and disaster risk reduction across all levels of the education system, foster student leadership and participation in safety planning and decision-making,” Mr. Troupe noted.

In addition, it will promote national action aligned with the Caribbean Safe School Initiative (CSSI) to strengthen and implement safe school policies and showcase best practices through success stories and innovations from across the region.

The week of activities, to be executed through the School Safety and Security Branch, will include national awareness campaigns on social media, radio and television; school-based exhibitions; and student-led initiatives such as debates, poster competitions, and innovation challenges focused on safer schools.

A regional school safety forum will be hosted virtually to highlight student perspectives and national efforts, while school safety drills and simulations for earthquake, fire, and hurricane and lockdown scenarios will be conducted. In addition, case studies, documentaries, and reports on innovative safety initiatives will be shared to promote knowledge exchange.

Mr. Troupe said the expected outcomes of the week include increased awareness and understanding of school safety and disaster preparedness; strengthened youth leadership and ownership of school safety initiatives; greater alignment with CSSI and regional school safety standards; and enhanced regional collaboration through knowledge-sharing and best practices.

He told JIS News that School Safety Week 2025 will serve as a platform to advance the vision of the CSSI, placing students and communities at the centre of resilience building.

Over the past decade, regional frameworks such as the CSSI and the Model Safe School Programme (MSSP) have played a pivotal role in promoting a culture of safety and resilience in schools.