Minister of Education Priya Manickchand has said that an anti-violence pilot programme initiated at the Campbellville Secondary School last year has seen success, as there has been a decrease in reported incidents of violence.
Speaking to Stabroek News last Wednesday, Manickchand said that the programme involved increased parental involvement, extracurricular activities, and clear expectations outlined in contracts signed by parents and students. Due to its success, she said the ministry plans on replicating it in other schools with similar issues.
“I know our programme at Campbellville, I think I feel comfortable saying that it has worked… It was a programme specific to Campbellville; getting more extracurricular activities on the campus, getting parents to come in and supervise when children were playing because a lot of what happened, happened when they were outside and playing… So, you had a whole parental involvement. We had parents sign contracts about what was expected of them and their children. So, we’re trying to replicate that in other places, we’ll see how that works,” she explained.
The programme was implemented late last year, on the heels of a wave of violence that arose in Campbellville and other schools. The minister was contacted by this for her take on school violence, particularly against Venezuelan migrant students.
According to Manickchand, there is no concrete evidence to suggest that violence in schools is on the rise, but rather that there is more visibility of incidents due to the prevalence of cameras. Regarding the specific issue of violence involving Venezuelan children, she stated that the ministry is currently investigating the complaints and will take action, if necessary. She further mentioned plans to meet with parents, teachers, and students in schools with a high migrant population to address any concerns.
“What [we plan on] doing is move in and talk to all these schools that have a high population of Venezuelan migrants, we know where to start… parents, children, Venezuelans and Guyanese… tomorrow, for that particular school we have officers going in… today officers have gone to Stewartville…,” she explained.
In response to a question about transferring students to schools closer to their homes due to safety concerns raised by parents, the minister mentioned that the ministry recently transferred children from Queenstown Secondary for similar reasons.
Two weeks ago, a video surfaced of a Venezuelan student from Queenstown Secondary School being beaten by a group of her schoolmates. These assailants were seen being cheered on by students who attended the same school and other schools. The incident took place in the vicinity of the Bank of Guyana.
Last Monday, two brothers of Venezuelan nationality who attended Stewartville Secondary School were injured during a fight with their schoolmates, in and outside the school. One brother, a 14-year-old is currently nursing wounds to his head after being lashed with a piece of wood, while the other, a 13-year-old sustained a broken wrist. Since the incident, the ministry has indicated that investigations have commenced.
Manickchand further clarified that the ministry was working on finalizing a broad policy to address anti-violence measures in schools, tailored to each school’s specific needs. She also mentioned the existence of an anti-violence policy already in use, emphasizing the importance of knowing when to expel students to ensure a safe learning environment for all.
