Education Minister Fayval Williams has condemned as “totally unacceptable” the violent confrontation between a student and a teacher at the Kemps Hill high school in Clarendon yesterday (March 2).

The fight which was captured on video has been making its rounds on social media.

“I am again urging all teachers and students to use peaceful means to resolve disputes. Teachers have to utilise their training in dispute resolution to defuse tension, especially in situations where tempers flare and potentially threaten to explode into violent actions,” Minister Williams said.

The minister is calling on parents to encourage their children to always show respect for teachers, while noting that there is no place in schools for students to be fighting teachers.

Williams is also urging teachers, students and all education stakeholders to avail themselves of the numerous training opportunities in dispute resolution which are being spearheaded by the Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Education and Youth in partnership with other organisations in the education sector.

“Violence cannot be a default position in our education system and our society, and neither should we normalise it. We must condemn violence in all of its forms in our schools,” Williams said.