CALL FOR MORE DIALOGUE

Labour Minister, Dr. Esther Byer-Suckoo, has thrown her support behind the Barbados Union of Teachers’ (BUT) call for more dialogue on the issue of violence in schools.

She gave this assurance during the 44th Annual General Conference of the BUT, held under the theme “Health & Safety in Schools: A Shared Responsibility” at the Almond Bay Conference Centre, yesterday.

Recognising that violence in schools is a big threat to safety, she expressed: “I know that many teachers are concerned.

“We know that it is not a Barbados phenomenon – we have been seeing it globally, but that gives us no comfort at all. In fact, if anything it makes us even more fearful because as we hear about things that are happening overseas, then we start to wonder how long before these kinds of behaviours will get here. So, I know that as teachers it can give you no comfort.”

“I support your call to the Ministry of Education for more dialogue on these issues because we can’t just pretend they are not happening… Whether we want to have scanners or not; whether we want to have cameras or not – we have to work together to devise some means of ensuring that our workplaces are safe. That we do not have threats coming into our schools and that you have the support of the community in doing what has to be done to make sure that your spaces are safe… We can’t just sit back and do nothing,” Dr. Byer-Suckoo stressed.

BUT President Pedro Shepherd shared with the Minister that the Executive Committee met on February 19, 2018 and discussed at length the issue of violence in schools, in particular the more recent incidents at Grantley Adams Memorial, St. Leonard’s Boys’ School as well as the Frederick Smith and Daryll Jordan Secondary Schools, among others.

“The Barbados Union of Teachers is extremely concerned with the frequency and severity of the acts of violence seen in our schools and on our streets by school children and we firmly believe that education has a significant role to play in ‘stemming’ the wrongs and putting our country back on the correct path,” he asserted.

“The Ministry of Education ought to recognise the magnitude of the violent and aggressive behaviour of our students and put systems in place to assist in reducing it. One suggestion might be to provide mandatory counselling for troubled students, even at the primary level, starting in term three and going through the summer holiday where it is not requiring urgent attention. We are of the view that the Ministry waits too late to intervene,” he said. (TL)