SCHOOL PRINCIPALS across Barbados have been advised to call in the police in instances of violence at schools and adopt a zero tolerance approach to such errant behaviour.
Speaking on the heels of two violent incidents of bullying in the island’s public schools, Minister of Education Ronald Jones told the House of Assembly yesterday that schools should be oases of learning, and that teachers and principals were not trained to deal with criminal behaviour.
“I’m saying to principals that zero tolerance must be the order of the day. We’re past the days of that kind of behaviour where persons have no respect for each other. The community out there might want to practise that, and they should not, but in our schools the platform must be zero tolerance. Do not hesitate where youngsters try to fracture the learning abilities of those who want to learn,” he stated.
“You do not have to call the ministry to get permission to summon the police. Where there is violence, bring the police in immediately. Of course, follow the legislation of the Education Act in terms of what to do, but you can do that after. Let the police come and do what they have to do.”
