The Ministry of Education and Youth will be redoubling its efforts to curb violence in schools, using a multiplicity of strategies.

Portfolio Minister, Hon. Fayval Williams, said these interventions will be guided by the Safety and Security Policy.

“The Safety and Security Policy that is designed to prevent violence in schools spells out how to implement physical security measures, such as searches of students’ school bags and organising training programmes for school personnel to recognise warning signs and intervene effectively,” Mrs. Williams said.

She was speaking during the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) 60th Annual Conference, held recently at Ocean Coral Spring Resort in Trelawny.

The Safety and Security Policy also addresses several other areas, including counselling at-risk individuals; developing crisis and emergency plans; assigning roles for students, parents and the community; and addressing and resolving conflicts in a constructive manner.

“I know that the support that we give includes coordination of searches upon request; regular school visits; motorised patrols in the general school environment, before and after school hours; regular patrols in the transport and town centres to prevent students loitering during school hours, and safety audits and reports, upon request,” Mrs. Williams said.

The Ministry also provides additional support in the investigation of critical incidents, training session for staff and students, motivational talks, gang-prevention interventions, summer camps and mentorship programmes.

Mrs. Williams informed that another initiative being implemented is the Restorative Practice Training Programme, through the Ministry of Justice.

Under the programme, 500 schools were targeted, with more than 12,000 students participating.

“Restorative justice is an important tool in reducing violence by enabling individuals to have access to a dispute resolution process at the early stage of conflict, to avoid escalation to violent reactions,” Minister Wiliams said.