EDITORIAL: Students need conflict resolution skills

IT is sad that some students see fighting as the only acceptable way to resolve disagreements.

Indeed, a mentality exists amongst some students, that he who “wins” the fight will earn some measure of respect. It appears that males are not the only ones showing high levels of aggression, of late. Concern has also been expressed about the number of females getting involved in school fights, which are rather ugly and violent. Sometimes students are egged on by their peers as well, who think that these violent fights will make good viewing on social media sites.

Whatever the reasons for the physical fights, we must set some programme in place to ensure that students are given the basic skills necessary for solving and resolving daily conflicts with other students and even authority figures. Students need to be presented with a pliable positive problem-solving process and/or mediation process that is useful, culturally relevant and can reap some measure of success in curbing their aggression and hence, school fights.

We really must act now as the situation seems to be getting progressively worse. Alas, we are hearing about violent school children attacking bus drivers. Now when children take violence to this whole new level, we must sit up and take notice. We must acknowledge that some of our children have a problem dealing with anger and conflict, and we must find the root causes of their anger and frustration and attempt to deal with these matters.

Now we are aware that schools have a range of methods they use to try to deter students from engaging in violent acts repeatedly. These methods may include school detentions, visits with the guidance counsellor, conferences with parents and in extreme cases, visits from the police. However, it is clear that we need to look outside the box to find new methods to treat to this issue.

We have had a suggestion coming in the past from a noted Canadian diplomat, who suggested that programmes focusing on “restorative practices” have proven useful in reducing friction in Canadian-based schools. He states his belief that such programmes could be useful here, in building more positive school environments. It was further noted that restorative practices frameworks have been used in provinces across Canada for some time now in schools there, as a means of building and strengthening relationships and reintegrating students into a stronger teaching and learning environment.

“Restorative Practice is a relatively new social science that studies how to build social capital and achieve social discipline through participatory learning and decision making. It is a set of defined processes and protocols that bring together those who have caused harm through wrongdoing with those they have directly or indirectly harmed and this approach can help to reduce crime, violence and bullying, improve effective leadership, restore relationships and repair harm,” the Canadian official noted.

“At a time when much of the national dialogue is focused on issues that put young people at risk and at a time when we face increased delinquency among youth, it is important to put in place the processes, tools and skills available to build a more positive school environment for the growth and enrichment of young people,” he added.

Perhaps the Ministry of Education and other key personnel could start to explore this and other methods of combating violence in schools. Lord knows some of our children need it.