Education Minister Andrew Holness warned principals and teachers not to allow students to demonstrate illegally, or face the consequences.

Although Holness did not call names, he appeared to be addressing the issue of students at Grange Hill High School in Westmoreland who blocked sections of the main road in the community on September 8 to protest poor road conditions.

The minister issued his warning as he officially launched the 2008/2009 academic year last Friday at the Ocho Rios High School, saying: “It cannot be allowed for students to be blocking public thoroughfare illegally. Take this as a serious warning – if there are any more (such protests) during the rest of this school year I am holding the principal and the teachers accountable.”

However, Holness quickly pointed out that he was not against demonstrations, but said that it should be done correctly: “I would encourage you to protest in the correct and legal way, that is what the schools must do. So take this as a very serious warning.”

Holness also disclosed that metal detectors were now ready for use in schools with a critical need for them, with more of the equipment coming to satisfy the needs of all schools.

Holness displayed one of the detectors and urged students to desist from carrying weapons to school.

“I appeal to students, do not carry weapons to schools,” he said, adding that a school was not a jail house but that’s where students would end up if they broke the law.

He urged parents to search their children when they were leaving home for school to ensure they were not carrying any weapons.

Minister Holness also charged principals and teachers at the primary level to ensure that no child leaving the primary level should do so without being literate, proclaiming “full literacy for all our children leaving primary school”.

But he spoke of progress in this area, saying that in 1999 when the Grade Four Literacy Test was first introduced, 42 per cent achieved mastery. In the 2008 test, 71 per cent achieved mastery. The aim, Holness said, was 100 per cent.

“Full literacy is not an elusive or impossible goal,” the minister said.

The minister disclosed that plans were afoot to abandon the shift system in schools in St Ann.