Gareth Manning, Gleaner WriterWITH SEXUAL misconduct among students proving a challenge in schools across the country, there is no policy to address the issue.
A number of incidents regarding sexual practices among high school students have surfaced in the media recently. Earl Smith, principal of the Mona High School, said students were caught having sex on the school's playing field. He blames their behaviour on the proliferation of lewd lyrics in music. Two weeks ago, 11 girls and two boys were accosted by police at a house in Never Mind District, Manchester, where it is alleged the youths had weekly group intercourse.
In February, two other situations arose when videotapes of two girls from prominent high schools performing oral sex on other boys in separate incidents were circulated in the Corporate Area.
MINISTRY WORKING TO TACKLE ISSUE
Monica Holness, head of the Guidance and Counselling Unit at the Ministry of Education, says the ministry is working through its home and family programme to help tackle the issue, but there is no policy on the matter.
"There is no policy (and), as such, we are hoping through the family life education project ... that students will gravitate towards setting goals and striving to achieve those, without getting involved in sexual acts at an early age," she tells The Sunday Gleaner.
She says, instead, the ministry has sought to promote the value of abstinence and the risks of having early sexual intercourse. If students choose not to abstain then they are referred to clinics where they can procure contraceptives.
The Education Ministry official adds while there is no policy on sexual misconduct, there is one on health and family education that is being revised. This revised edition might include a specific clause on sexual misconduct in schools.
But without a policy, schools can take their own action against students who are found guilty of sexual misconduct.
NO POLICY ON DISCIPLINE IN SCHOOLS
President of the Principals Association, Alphonsos Davis, also notes there is no policy by the ministry and adds that, in fact, there is no policy on discipline in schools. This is except for what is outlined in the ministry's code of regulations pertaining to cases where students might threaten the safety of staff and other students.
He says if a student is caught in a sexual act on the school's compound then disciplinary action will be taken against those students or student according to the school's rules. Mr. Davis says if the sexual act happens off the school compound, the school can also take action, depending on what the school regulations outline about behaviour while in uniform. He says action can vary from calling in the child's parents and issuing a stern warning, to suspending the child for 10 days.
Some schools might also expel students if they are caught. The vice-principal of the Manchester school that the students who were accosted in Christiana attended, was considering this when The Gleaner interviewed him recently. He said serious actions would be taken against the children to send a strong warning to others. It is not known whether the students were expelled.
THOROUGH ASSESSMENT NEEDED
But Dr. Grace Kelly, president of the Jamaica Association of Guidance Counsellors and head of the Behavioural Sciences Department at Northern Caribbean University, advises that when students are caught in the sexual act, they first need to be thoroughly assessed to understand what caused him or her to indulge in the act. She says often situations like these are blown out of proportion or exposed before the root cause is dealt with.
"We have to interpret the act from a sociological and psychological perspective," Dr. Kelly explained. "What if it were the child had a low self-esteem, not appreciating any moral self and feels that, 'Hey, because society is saying that everybody is doing it and this is something that makes them feel good,' what if that is the motivational factor behind them getting involved?" she reasoned. From there, she says, counsellors have to work on the child's self-esteem.
Dr. Kelly says schools should not wait until students are caught in the act before dealing with the issue. She says sexual responsibility is part of the school curriculum and should be taught in the classroom.
