ST JAMES, Jamaica —The Government is looking at strengthening the deans of discipline programme in schools as part of measures to better manage student behaviour and prevent conflicts.

Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr  Dana Morris Dixon, in making the disclosure, said that the move is aimed at ensuring safer environments for learning.

She was speaking during a visit to the Ocho Rios High School in St Ann on Thursday, following the tragic death of a 16-year-old grade 10 student, who was struck during a dispute with another pupil on Wednesday, March 4

The education minister said that increasing the number of deans of discipline could provide additional support for principals and teachers in dealing with behavioural issues. She said this was particularly necessary in large institutions where administrators must manage thousands of students daily.

“So, yes, there is obviously need for more. The school community [at Ocho Rios High School] is 2,200 and that’s a lot of students and there are also talks about issues in the communities where the students come from,” Morris Dixon said.

“I’ve said to the Principal of Ocho Rios High School, whatever is needed, we’re going to work to provide that support to the school,” she assured.

As it relates to school resource officers, who are police officers, the Minister noted that there is always room for improvement in how the programme operates.

She pointed out however, that the officers cannot act without information, emphasising the need for early reporting of disputes between students to prevent situations from escalating on and off campus.

The minister noted that Wednesday’s fatal incident appears to have been the culmination of a dispute that began the previous day.

“The school will tell you they have two [school resource officers] and they were here [on the day of the incident]. They’re working and that is why I say, if you know something is brewing, it has to be reported. We have the chairman of the board who is a minister of religion also,” she pointed out.

During the visit, the minister met with the principal, teachers and students, and assured the school community that counselling and psychosocial support would remain in place for as long as necessary.

— JIS