WATCH: Crawford calls for SchoolEye CCTV system in schools Loop Jamaica

Black Immigrant Daily News

With the clear increase in violent clashes among students in schools locally, the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) has recommended several strategies to remedy the situation.

Among the proposals being recommended is for the Government to introduce a SchoolEye closed-circuit television (CCTV) system similar to that of the JamaicaEye programme, where students are monitored through more CCTV systems, to catch the perpetrators of violence.

According to Opposition Spokesman on Education and Training, Senator Damion Crawford, such a CCTV system would also ensure an “increasing likelihood of punishment for violent activities”.

He is also advocating for the state to tie the Programme of Advancement through Health and Education (PATH) to parent participation in parent-teacher activities, as well as the frequency of parents and guardians turning up at schools when requested by administrators.

“Continuation of access to PATH should, therefore, be on a term report basis, where schools indicate that parents have shown interest and have come to school whenever they are requested,” he said.

The proposals come in the wake of numerous videos on social media showing fights involving students, the latest of which involved several students of Meadowbrook High School in St Andrew last week.

The students involved in the feud have since been suspended, reports suggested.

In addressing a PNP press conference on Monday, Crawford identified the use of drugs, including Molly, the lack of monitoring by parents of their children, low parental involvement in their children’s upbringing, parental substance abuse, easy access of weapons to minors, and gang involvement, among the factors contributing to violence in schools.

He contended that efforts by the Ministry and Education Youth, including the use of metal detectors, are not enough to cauterise the issues relative to the present situation in schools.

To that end, Crawford proposed the creation of a department of socialisation in all primary and secondary schools, among other strategies to deal with the developing negative issues.

“This new department will be headed by guidance counsellors and will be staffed by the guidance counsellor, the deans of discipline and form teachers,” he said.

“Formulating this department will immediately place the over 40 adults under one umbrella to be trained, coordinated, or organised and deployed for the purpose of interaction, monitoring, problem-solving and consistent adult supervision inside and outside of classes,” Crawford added.

The immediate implementation of training for form teachers in the areas of behaviour modification, depression identification, spotting gangs, drug addiction and bullying, is also being recommended by the PNP.

According to Crawford, the hiring of more deans of discipline to achieve a ratio of one to 600 students, and more guidance councillors, is a necessary measure in the face of the disciplinary challenges now being faced by schools.

In furtherance of the call for an increase in the number of deans of discipline in schools, Crawford said: “In this case, you’ll have a dean of discipline within primary schools, for grades one to three, and a dean of discipline in primary schools for grades four to six.

“At the secondary level, you’ll have a specific dean of discipline focusing on forms one to three, and another dean of discipline focusing on forms four to six.”

The Opposition senator is also calling for a staggering of the lunch and dismissal times, “to increase the adult to student ratios” during those timeframes.

He also implored the Education and Youth Ministry to change its approach to detentions.

He elaborated that, “The new detention regime should detain the student for a term-long participation in peace education, and not just for short-term punishment.

“The student may also be detained for recommended participation in uniform core (activities), such as scouts, cadets or girl guides.”

Meanwhile, the PNP is also recommending an immediate implementation of a special summer programme for peace education, which would be mandated for students who considered to be disposed to violence.

Crawford said: “These students can be recommended from the guidance counsellor, the grade coordinator, deans of discipline, coaches and principals, or form teachers.”

Other strategies being proposed include the creation of reform schools for students in need of psychological help, located within each of the Education Ministry’s regions, and the employment of three child psychiatrists in each region.

A department of volunteerism is also being suggested, which is to be tasked with encouraging, vetting, coordinating and deploying “well-thinking” Jamaicans who are willing to participate in “mentorship, extra-lessons, telephone tutorial, clubs and societies supervision,” among other tasks.

NewsAmericasNow.com