George Henry, Gleaner Writer

SPALDINGS, Clarendon :

The Safe Schools Pro-gramme which was implemented in some troubled schools across the island over two years ago by the Ministry of Education, is said to be doing well.

Chairman of the task force under which the programme falls, Lt. Col. Oral Khan, told The Gleaner that he was satisfied with the progress of the programme since its implementation.

He was speaking with The Gleaner while attending the recent Association of Principals and Vice Principals annual retreat, held at the Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort and Spa in Ocho Rios, St. Ann.

"We are quite pleased with what we have achieved and the feedback which we have been getting from the principals in whose schools we have done most of our activities," said Lt. Col. Khan.

Major challenge

He explained that the Ministry was trying to have all schools sign on to the Safe Schools programme but said a lack of resources was a major challenge. To date, School Resource Officers (SROs) have been placed in only 97 schools are under the programme which is aimed at preventing violence in schools.

Lt. Col. Khan noted that the programme has been successful in dismantling several gangs which were in existence in some schools. All efforts, he said, will be made to have all other gangs dismantled, and that efforts were being made to have bully behaviour among students be a thing of the past.

In the meantime Lt. Col. Khan stated that his team has prepared a list of safe schools indicators, and was in the process of completing a safe school assessment checklist which will be circulated to schools, with the intention of helping them in their planning for the launch of the programme in their institution.