Violence in society seeping into school system– Dr Roopnaraine sees need for more counsellors in sch

By Tajeram Mohabir EDUCATION Minister Dr Rupert Roopnaraine believes the breakdown in discipline and rise of violence in society has been seeping into the school system, as is clearly indicated by recent incidents.

Early last month, two 13-year-old students — one from Charlestown Secondary and the other from St George’s Secondary — were hospitalised following a fight that reportedly stemmed from an incident that occurred when they were in primary school.

One student was reportedly stabbed on the shoulder with a broken bottle while the other suffered blows to the mouth and thumb in the fight that occurred on Church Street, Georgetown.

In October last year, another violent fight between students caught the attention of the media. Another 13-year-old student, this time from Cummings Lodge Secondary, East Coast Demerara, was stabbed in the head with a screwdriver during a verbal tussle with a classmate.

That fight was said to have been instigated by students in their class. The mother of the victim later reported that the mechanical tool, which was stuck some two inches into her son’s head, had to be surgically removed.

In February 2013, yet another 13-year-old student — from Patentia Secondary — was stabbed in the head with a pair of scissors during a scuffle with a fifth former. The scissors had to be surgically removed, and the child had to be placed on a life support machine. He managed to make a full recovery.

During the past year, crime in Guyana has been on the increase, and discipline, over the years, has been gradually eroding. Dr Roopnaraine told the Guyana Chronicle that violence in the school system, many incidents of which are not reported, is a reflection of what is happening in the wider society.

Leak “The breakdown in discipline is unfortunately not just in the schools, but in society as a whole. The violence and indiscipline in society (are) leaking into the school system. Schools are not isolated from their communities, where personal violence and robbery occur; and it is getting into the schools, making our work more difficult,” he said.

The Minister conceded that addressing the problem is not an easy task, and it would require the sociologists and psychologists in Guyana teaming up to get to the root of the cause and to come up with solutions.

“These are not simply policing problems, but are problems of healing and reconciliation, (making them) a combination of problems,” he said. But for now, Dr Roopnaraine said, the Ministry of Education is banking on counsellors to maintain and create conducive environments for learning in schools.

“The problem of discipline in the school system is best addressed, in my mind, through regular and proper professional counselling. We want to improve our counselling capacity in schools, and improve the performance of counsellors.”

“It is a big task,” he said, but noted that it is a firm step in the right direction.

The Education Minister said he wants to see an increase in the number of counsellors in the school system. He has pointed out that the current number is unsatisfactory.

“We have a situation where we have about one counsellor covering about eight to nine schools. In the ideal situation, I would like to see a trained counsellor in every school. It will help the teachers and create the school environment where learning becomes easier. Intensification of training of councillors in the school system is a high priority,” he said.

Aside from employing more counsellors, the Ministry of Education, in tackling violence in schools, has been making a concerted effort to remove corporal punishment from the school system.

Dr Roopnaraine says the focus is to banish corporal punishment from schools, and refer incidents of indiscipline to professional counsellors, so that students can get to understand and correct their erratic behaviour, instead of being whipped and often left demoralised and isolated in their classrooms.