School Security and Safety Policy Guidelines Revised
By: , May 20, 2015The Key Point:
Photo: Sharon Earle
Director of Safety and Security in Schools at the Ministry of Education, Sergeant Coolridge Minto (right), offers congratulations to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization-Vocational Education (UNESCO-UNEVOC) Skills in Action awardee, Alia Wedderburn (left), at the 2nd International Conference on Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the Caribbean, held recently at the Hilton Rose Hall Hotel and Spa, in St James.The Facts
- Director of Safety and Security in Schools at the Ministry, Sergeant Coolridge Minto, told JIS News that all policies pertaining to safety and security in schools have been reviewed.
- The National School Security Policy provides the guidelines and protocols on how schools’ Guidance Counsellors, Safety and Security personnel as well school Boards handle student security.
The Full Story
Revision of the Education Ministry’s School Security and Safety Policy Guidelines has been completed and the document is expected to be ready for distribution by the start of the new academic year in September 2015.
Director of Safety and Security in Schools at the Ministry, Sergeant Coolridge Minto, told JIS News that all policies pertaining to safety and security in schools have been reviewed and the document should be available to all schools and their Deans of Discipline.
The National School Security Policy provides the guidelines and protocols on how schools’ Guidance Counsellors, Safety and Security personnel as well school Boards handle student security, security risk management, discipline, interventions and behaviour modification.
“The manual will include (matters such as) bullying and even missing persons. It outlines things to do if a child goes missing, and will also include aspects of human trafficking, because we have had a number of cases where children (go) missing and some of them have been trafficked,” Sergeant Minto said.
He further pointed out that aspects of the Child Care and Protection Act will be included in the manual, so that all stakeholders in schools will be aware of reporting procedures as well as their roles as prescribed persons under the law.
Meanwhile, Deans of Discipline from across the island are being upgraded in preparation for the 2015/2016 school year.
“We have just completed a full part of a training (programme) for all Deans of Discipline. One hundred and ten of them were brought to the National Police College where they were trained,” Sgt. Minto noted.
“The Ministry of Education has also carried out a security audit … looking at some of the things they will confront in dealing with students. That was part one (and) we are hoping to do part two of the training in the Summer,” he added.
The Director also disclosed that the Ministry of Education is expanding the Uniformed Group Programme, with the Caribbean Maritime Institute (CMI) being one of the groups coming on board in September.
“A number of the other uniformed groups will also be expanding their services in schools that currently operate without uniformed groups, to ensure that those groups help to transform the lives of students, in terms of discipline and behavioural problems,” he said.