Petrina Francis, Education Reporter
HENRY-WILSON
OCHO RIOS, St. Ann:
EDUCATION MINISTER Maxine Henry-Wilson yesterday warned educators against imposing unauthorised disciplinary measures against students.
Mrs. Henry Wilson said the education ministry would eventually face lawsuits if the actions continued.
According to the Education Minister, some of the 11,000 children who are out of school are sent home by teachers who fail to follow the correct procedures.
"That is not legal ... Somebody is going to pay for it when they sue us," she advised more than 200 delegates attending the 41st annual conference of the Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA).
Mrs. Henry-Wilson said a lot of money is already being spent on settling suits and while she did not discuss the legal bill, she noted that the money would have to be taken out of the Education Ministry's budget.
"All I am saying is that we have our rules...follow the code," she urged the teachers.
Mrs. Henry-Wilson said the education code does provide for expulsions "but we don't want to document it because we're afraid in some instances."
She told the audience if the teacher does something that is within the code and ends up in problem, it is the responsibility of the Ministry of Education to protect that teacher.
The three-day conference ended yesterday at the Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort in Ocho Rios, St. Ann.
Meanwhile, Evelyn Gyles, principal of Shortwood Practising Primary and Junior High School in Kingston, said the level of indiscipline in schools cannot be allowed to continue. Mrs. Gyles said that while she is not advocating severe punishment which existed in the past, the level of indiscipline in schools has to be addressed.
ADDRESSING INDISCIPLINE
"The bling bling culture that has taken over our schools cannot be allowed to continue. A name brand sneaker today in place of the required school shoes will be something else tomorrow."
And Mrs. Henry-Wilson said there is nothing that the ministry does that will completely eliminate violence in school. While acknowledging there is the need for improved security measures in schools, she said that if this were to be addressed fully, other priorities would not be addressed.
"I deplore any act of violence or contempt that is directed against our teachers and I say categorically that we have to put a stop to this. It is not just a problem in the education system; it is clearly a societal disease that has infected us," she emphasised.
She continued: "And while the solution has to be multi-sectoral, education bears the brunt of the responsibility."
