EDITORIAL

Today our children seem to face more challenges than the children of previous generations. In some respects it is not that there are more problems, but that these problems have magnified as our societies have developed, become more sophisticated and certainly become more technologically inclined.

For instance, there can be no denying that there are issues in our schools in terms of violence and bullying, and unfortunately we have seen them escalate over the years. This has prompted increasing calls for these issues to be addressed as a matter of urgency. Teachers have for years been complaining about these issues and we saw just a few weeks ago how violence could lead to tragedy, when one student allegedly took the life of another.

Today those students and teachers affected by the incident are still grappling to come to terms with what occurred, and this reinforces the need for us as a society to act swiftly to help our children to deal with conflict in a better manner.

Also today, many of our children face learning disorders and too often they do not get the attention or assistance they require. This has caused some children to retreat and become depressed, while others act out and become disruptive. The problem is, some parents and teacher miss the signs, misinterpreting them for the many changing moods of adolescents, or assuming that they will grow out of it.

So given the challenges facing our youth, it is imperative that our educational system play a greater role in the lives of our future generations. There are some who will say that parents and not the school should be responsible for their children’s well-being. But we must remember that most of their waking hours are spent within the confines of the schools as opposed to their homes.

The fact is that no one can tell what is going through the mind of another, or what a person may be harbouring in their heart, and it is often these unspoken feelings, when left unchecked, that can escalate and result in something terrible happening – whether that something is a child inflicting pain on another or on themselves. It is for that reason that one can argue that the role of the guidance counsellors should be enhanced, and we agree with the teachers' unions that social workers should also be employed within all our schools, not just the secondary, but the primary schools as well.

On that note, the recommendation made by the Barbados Secondary Teachers' Union regarding the teaching of conflict resolution, empathy and the like, as a way to prevent violence within our schools, should be endorsed by the whole society. As noted by the BSTU president Mary Redman, introducing such on the timetable would not be something unique, as countries like Denmark have already made the teaching of empathy mandatory to their students.

So just as Mathematics, English and History are subjects on the curriculum, so too should those areas previously mentioned. It would obviously require more money to be allocated within the Ministry of Education, to facilitate the establishment of Guidance and Social Work Departments so that these trained professionals can adequately cater to the needs of the children, as many of these children may just want someone to talk to, to air their concerns, fears, dreams and aspirations, and one guidance counsellor cannot do the job.

While we acknowledge that there are budget constraints and perhaps not enough trained personnel to do that work at present, we should at least seek to set up such departments in the more troubled schools. Certainly, too, while we are a society somewhat averse to counselling and therapy, such has proven quite helpful and the authorities should give this serious thought, so that they can encourage more persons to pursue studies in those areas to ensure that the departments can be adequately staffed.