Dear Editor,

The People’s National Party Youth Organization (PNPYO) notes with great concern recent instances of violence within our schools and neighbouring communities. Given the current state of Jamaica’s education system, the PNPYO asserts that it is time for a revolutionary, collaborative, and proactive approach to addressing this issue.

As a country we must organise ourselves in a way which prevents violent and abusive behaviour in our schools. The time has come to do all that is within our power to create a safe and secure learning environment for students and staff.

The PNPYO believes that if any real advancement is to be made in reducing violence in schools, the curriculum from early childhood to the secondary level must be designed for the holistic development of students who will have pride in themselves and their country. The best components of initiatives such as the Values and Attitudes Programme, National Safe School Policy, School Wide Positive Behaviour Intervention Support (SWPBIS), and the Peace and Love in Schools (PALS) programme must all be revisited with immediate effect. The Government must ensure that these programmes are fit for purpose and address the new and emerging concerns among students and within schools.

Additionally, dispute resolution should be fully incorporated into the school curriculum. We recommend that, at minimum, one hour should be set aside each week for conflict resolution to be taught as well as personal development skills. This, we believe, can be achieved by using a multi-sectoral approach involving key stakeholders, including but not limited to the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Education Youth and Information, student and teacher associations, the Violence Prevention Alliance ,and the Dispute Resolution Foundation.

We cannot stress enough that schools must be fully resourced with proper security systems, campus guards, and school resource officers. We must ensure that there are adequate social workers and guidance counsellors to work consistently with students in schools to identify and monitor at-risk children and take steps to steer them on the right path.

To bolster the work of social workers and guidance counsellors we suggest the implementation of a national mentorship initiative across the island which would include private sector, churches, community service groups, and civic groups all volunteering their time in a variety of ways to teach children about financial literacy, help them plan for their careers, and conduct home and school visits in order to build a positive relationship with their families.

We understand that violence can significantly impact a child’s academic achievement, quality of life, and physical and mental health. Now more than ever, with the effects of the novel coronavirus pandemic, it is important that we start doing psychosocial assessments of children and ensure that we provide them with the support needed. Let us not leave this issue to chance. Otherwise, our stark reality will become that of the African proverb: “If a child is not embraced by the village, he will burn it down to feel its warmth.”

In an era of growing technological advancement we suggest the use of software to identify possible trends and risks that may be harmful to the school and its environs. This will allow data to be stored and collated in one place and will make it easy to analyse and highlight areas for intervention. Coupled with this, schools should be properly staffed to effectively enforce the critical incident management plan when the need arises.

Along with the aforementioned, the PNPYO is calling on parents and the community to play a greater role in the development and well-being of the nation’s children. We must revive the principle “it takes a village to raise a child” as one life lost through an act of violence is one too many.

People’s National Party Youth Organisation

info.pnpyo@gmail.com