KINGSTON, Jamaica—The Youth Advisory Council of Jamaica (YACJ) is raising concerns over recent incidents of violence across the school system and the growing national unease regarding student behaviour and school culture.

“Behavioural outcomes do not exist in isolation; they are shaped over time by what is taught, what is reinforced, and what is tolerated. If we are serious about addressing school violence, we must be equally serious about rebuilding the value systems that guide our young people, both at home and within our schools,” said Rodain Richardson, chair of the Youth Advisory Council of Jamaica, in a press release.

It said it has already advanced targeted policy recommendations aimed at strengthening student outcomes and behavioural development.

“While our proposed Boys’ in Education Policy addresses specific challenges affecting male students, we maintain a balanced and inclusive approach that supports all students, including girls, who face their own distinct pressures and behavioural expectations. A sustainable response must include stronger parental engagement. The values instilled at home shape the attitudes students bring into school and ultimately the behaviours we are now confronting,” it said.

The YACJ said it will therefore advance a Parenting Engagement and Support Framework for national consideration, focused on strengthening parental responsibility, promoting positive discipline, and supporting early value formation.

“We also support the strengthening of school-based systems that deliberately reinforce character development, emotional intelligence, and behavioural accountability through guidance, mentorship, and structured interventions. This is not about assigning blame, but about ensuring consistency across the environments that shape our young people,” he said.

The YACJ said it remains committed to working with the ministry, educators, parents, and stakeholders to advance a more proactive and coordinated approach, one that deliberately strengthens values, attitudes, and behaviour across the system.