In view of the recent increase in violent incidents in school and involving schoolchildren, residents of Linden were asked what they thought the Department of Education could do to deal with the situation. Below are their responses:

Interview and photos
by Cathy Richards

Valarie Adams-Sharpe – RDC Councillor: ‘If they are to reduce violence at the level of the school we have to start at the home with parents because much of what you see children exhibiting in the schools starts at home, and parents ever so often fail to take a grip of their child or children at the level of the home and so of course it’s going to spread to the school system.

‘I think it has to be a collaborative approach both between the Education Department and the parent teachers association. They can have a forum with parent and child where the consequences of violence in the schools can be ventilated, letting the parent understand what is his or her role in helping the child to curb this behaviour and also how to deal with it at home too. There is also need for a serious sensitization programme – a holiday camp where you can have sessions for both parent and child. This would allow you to get their views because a lot of times when you have violent reactions from children it’s because of the lack of love, abuse and in some case it could be a lack of attention.

‘Teachers on the other hand have to be more serious as to what they do because if children see indiscipline among the teachers they will also practise the same thing.’
Tina Horslen – Business consultant: ‘Children are being exposed to a very narrow range of television programming most of which features violence in one way or the other. The cartoons that they watch for entertainment or the music videos particularly that are becoming more sophisticated [are] really quite degrading images and attitudes for young people here, and they are even watching adult television which is centred around violence…

‘As a result from a very early age they don’t have the ability to analyse what is entertainment or fantasy and what is reality. So in their life when they get into school they would always remember behaviour and attitudes through osmosis and they absorb those attitudes and behaviours from people around them. It’s not a problem just for the Department of Education. Those children would have been formed by the time they start school; the change in behaviour and attitude has to start at home. Parents are responsible for their children. They shouldn’t expect the Education Department and teachers to have to take up the responsibility of raising their children properly. Teachers have a big responsibility already of educating the children in the school. They shouldn’t have to readjust your children’s bad attitude and anti-social behaviours that are already in the children from ages 4-5 years.’
Rollingston Mitchell – Apostle: ‘Practically the training, moulding and disciplining of a child starts at home and I would emphasize the need for discipline and order to return at the level of the home. Yes I am aware that as parents we would try our best to do things that are so essential for the child at home so that when he or she reaches with their peers out of the home they excel. The position still stands that as long as that child is aware of the boundaries that have been set by the parents, somewhere along the line it keeps the limit… So with that in mind I would strongly recommend that the Ministry of Education get a hold of parents because what has happened over a period of time is that a lot of parents are still young people. A lot of parents today still need that time to get themselves moulded into parenting. Now being that they have to get out there and live, the substantive parental care that is so needed in the home is not there. So the whole scenario can turn around if parents can draw the line and so they need to be educated and to understand their roles and functions themselves as parents and their responsibility.’

Leola Narine – Office Manager: ‘Youths in school need to stay focused on the aspect of education and stop listening to the Gaza and Gully nonsense. Teachers as well as parents need to play an important role in their child/children’s lives to make them future role models. I also think strongly that the Ministry of Education should start introducing programmes that would occupy youths’ time in and out of schools – getting them involved in community work and organizations that would benefit them in the future. We as a society also have a major part to play by taking patterns from the old school and work together to ensure that our youths are excellent members of tomorrow and today’s society.’
Ray DeClou – Entrepreneur: ‘I believe that we as parents need to get involved in our children’s school life through the PTAs. By knowing exactly what is happening at school activities and what the curriculum has to offer we can better understand what our kids’ teachers are lacking so we can make meaningful contributions. Corporal punishment had been an important tool in schools for our children as it relates to discipline and the understanding of consequences. However, abolishing corporal punishment brought about another behaviour dilemma with this new generation of children who lack this kind of discipline, hence a reintroduction of this system might have a severe disadvantage. Today I asked a fifth former the same question and she said, “We can’t do anything about that” and that “… parents are not coming together.” Of course our teachers need to be looked at also in terms of their environment, their working conditions, their interest and most of all their salaries. But these teachers also need to take on some responsibilities and at least show some professionalism.’
Deon Griffith-Fullington – Loans Officer: ‘The Holy Bible says don’t spare the rod and spoil the child. I think that because we have taken discipline out of the school in the form of beating, not to abuse but to discipline… the children are going haywire even in the homes. At their adolescent stage their hormones are raging so they tend to respond to their peers and even their parents a little harsh, and because everybody is afraid to beat the child they tend to get out of hand at home and at school. We came up with a couple of lashes and we did not die and I think we are far better in society. So if we put back the system where children can get a couple of lashes from any teacher in the school, not only the head teacher, because if we look carefully they are not necessarily disrespecting the head teachers alone. So if they can be disciplined by whoever they disrespect the order will be brought back in the schools.’

Jacquline Phillips – Registered Midwife: ‘It is very important for the Department of Education to promote a high level of discipline in schools. Bring back the days when prayers were said at the start and close of day. Simply as you look at it these are some of the things that have torn away the moral fabric of school life and behaviours. We are not to leave it all up to the education system, parents have a very important role to play as well. I know many parents have to care for the kids as single parents and the pressure is great, but we still have to stick out our necks for them and try our best to give them the guidance that would keep them on the right track. We need to teach them to respect their elders and things like that. When children exhibit violent behaviours at school a lot of things come out and most times it leads right back to the home. So let’s bring back prayers and corporal punishment and let’s teach them respect and show them love and things can be better in the schools.’
Nicholas Chin – Youth: ‘The youths of society today have changed and are easily distracted or influenced by some of the entertainment such as the Gaza and Gully type music. However, I think that youths in school need to focus and pay attention to their education that is essential for them in the future. Teachers and parents should also be better role models for children. The Ministry of Education should also implement more extra-curricular activities in schools.’
Derron John – Youth: ‘What we find today is that our youths are not looking up to the older folks in communities. If we allow the older folks to rise to the occasion of being mentors in the community where the younger ones can pull positive vibes from them, things are going to be a whole lot better. Hand in hand with this comes corporal punishment. There was a time when any adult in a given community could have disciplined a child be he or she what age. It’s different today. And because of this persons are seeing the young ones doing the wrong and can’t correct then in any way. While parents and the community have to work on moulding the kid, the Education Ministry has a big task of moulding the teachers. Because what you find happening today is that the lifestyle of teachers leaves much to be desired and the children see this and disrespect steps in. So to correct the current violence which exists in schools it would be a chain that needs to be linked with parent, child, community, teacher and Ministry of Education.’

Shanaliza Henry – Sales rep: ‘I understand that there is much to be done to correct the current situation in the schools today but while the education system, parents and members of communities work at this some stop-gap methods are necessary. It would be a very good thing to have strong security in place at schools. Children known to be trouble-makers and those associated with them should be searched before entering the school and the government should additionally explore the possibility of installing security cameras at schools. This gang situation is one I firmly being fuelled by the Gaza and Gully thing. The damage is done and it’s hard work to repair it, but it must be repaired cost it what it will.’