Respond to bullying reports

A law enforcement officer has urged those responsible for the administration of schools to respond to reports of bullying in a timely manner.

Acting Assistant Commissioner of Police, William Yearwood issued this advice while he delivered the featured address during the graduation ceremony of the Prince’s Trust International Team Programme Thursday evening.

“Within our schools today, there is a culture developing, where bullying is becoming a norm and this act of bullying seems to influence individuals to arm themselves with offensive weapons to take into the schools. Some children have also formed groups to attack individual children and have also been engaging in fights against other groups,” he said.

He acknowledged that the fights between school children can be seen on social media ever so often, not only in Barbados but across the wider Caribbean and beyond.

“Such behaviour is unwarranted. The administration of schools is therefore challenged with this situation and must deal with it in a forthright manner,” he stated.

“More must be done by the administration of the school system to remedy this situation. The accusations or complaints of bullying must be responded to in a timely fashion.

There is no room forprocrastinating.”

Yearwood asserted that the parents of the pupils should be engaged at early notice and the utmost measures should be brought to bear, as far as the system permits when desired.

He strongly believed that there was no room for hiding such breaches in schools with a view of protecting the esteemed name of the school.

The Acting Assistant Commissioner noted that there was a lack of discipline amongst children in our schools, as well as a difficulty in being able to solve conflict without violence.

It is against this backdrop that Yearwood was pleased to see the nine young people that took part in the 8th Prince’s Trust International Team Programme successfully complete the 12 week

programme.

“The Administration of the Royal Barbados Police Force has endorsed The Prince’s International Team Programme and will continue to do such,” he said.