Following numerous incidents of violence in schools since the return of face-to-face classes in January, the Ministry of Education and Youth has indicated that efforts to tackle this phenomenon will take priority during Child Month, traditionally celebrated in May.

According to Education Minister Fayval Williams, “the recent spate of violence in schools is alarming, and warrants an immediate intervention”.

She explained that, as part of measures to reduce the incidence of violence among students, the ministry has already implemented a number of strategies to detect and confiscate weapons.

Aside from this, the ministry will be hosting a number of informative and interactive forums in schools islandwide, in a bid to help develop conflict resolution skills among students.

“Over the past two years, the coronavirus pandemic necessitated a reimagining of Child Month activities. It is against that backdrop that we are ensuring plans for Child Month 2022 comprise in-person, hybrid and virtual activities to leverage the effective use of technology and reach a wide cross-section of children and adults to achieve the desired outcomes,” stated Williams.

To this end, one Child Month activity that the ministry will embark on is ‘Safety Speaks’ where it is hoped that a great deal will be learned about the root causes of disputes in schools as stated by students.

This year, Child Month is being celebrated under the theme ‘Listen Up! Children’s voices matter’ and the related forums will see students of varying ages discuss situations in which they feel safe or unsafe, providing policymakers with additional insight on how to help children physically and emotionally.