Petrina Francis, Education ReporterTHE MINISTRY of National Security will be conducting a baseline study to determine the extent of violence that is affecting the 114 schools that are part of the Safe Schools Programme.
Monica Dystant, co-ordinator of the Safe Schools Programme in the Ministry of National Security, said a pilot study is currently underway in 10 schools to test the validity and reliability of the instruments that will be used in the baseline study.
The baseline study is expected to provide information on the frequency and the management of violence in schools.
The data from the study will be used to measure the resilience of the programme and analyse the risk factors involved.
PROFILE OF INSTITUTIONS
Ms. Dystant was speaking on Wednesday at the Safe Schools Programme Symposium which was held at the Jamaica Conference Centre, in Kingston.
Lieutenant Colonel Oral Khan, Senior Director in the Ministry of National Security told The Gleaner that the study would also help the Ministry to develop a profile of institutions that are susceptible to violence, noting that this would help the Ministry to improve the implementation process.
The Safe Schools programme was introduced in more than 60 schools in September and involves the placement of School Resource Officers (SROs), who are police officers, in schools. While 114 schools are now a part of the programme, only 77 schools have SROs attached to them.
The programme is a co-ordinated effort between the Ministries of Education, National Security and Health, along with other non-governmental agencies.
REDUCING VIOLENCE
One of the objectives of the Safe Schools Programme is to reduce the incidents of violence in schools.
Dr. Margaret Brissett-Bolt,
co-ordinator of the Inner City Renewal Programme, who was representing Adelle Brown, Chief Education Officer in the Ministry of Education, said not all efforts have been concentrated on placing students at the
centre. She said it is against this background that the safe schools programme is student-centred.
FIVE YEAR DEADLINE
Dr. Brissett-Bolt said some of the incidents of violence in schools should be eliminated in five years under the programme.
She told the gathering of
educators that schools cannot be safe unless the communities allow them to be safe, noting that most of the encroachments on schools are from the communities.
