KINGSTON, Jamaica; A press release from the Ministry of Education Sunday indicated that more than 100 high school deans of discipline are now better able to deal with anti-social behaviour among students, following a recently concluded one-week intensive training course at the Jamaica Police Academy in St Catherine.
Deans of discipline are mandated to, among other things, provide intervention for students’ disciplinary issues; develop appropriate programmes to promote positive behaviour; monitor, develop and implement student behavioural contracts; keep a log of students’ attendance and truancy issues; communicate disciplinary concerns to parents and staff; and to ensure the overall safety of the school premises.
Speaking at the closing ceremony last week, Education Minister Ronald Thwaites charged the participants to be the ones to lead the drive for the restoration and enforcement of discipline in the schools, and offered them the full backing of the Ministry of Education.
The course participants were exposed to all aspects of safety including defensive tactics, security audit, critical incident report writing, and liaising with the Community Safety and Security Branch of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) as well as the National Road Safety Council, Director of Safety and Security in Schools at the ministry Coleridge Minto disclosed.
He also said there was a great appreciation for the high-level of training provided by the JCF.
The recent training for deans of discipline also addressed effective classroom management strategies, systems of rewards and sanctions, conflict resolution strategies, the rights and responsibilities of the child, the role of parents and communities, the development of a standard-home school agreement and code of conduct for students, teachers and parents.
