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The Education Ministry says it has moved swiftly to enact a series of critical interventions at a primary school in Portland, in response to a recent incident of bullying.
The interventions are being done in partnership with the school’s leadership, the regional office and the child protection and family services agency. The incident which involved students ages 9, 10 and 12 was captured on video which has gone viral.
A Ministry statement says the video showing a 9-year-old boy being viciously attacked by his peers has sparked outrage and widespread calls for immediate action to address the culture of violence in schools.
The six-pronged intervention will see immediate actions being taken.
The first is enforced student safety policies. This will see the school overhauling its safety and security protocols to ensure that children are under vigilant supervision, particularly during non-class hours, when many of these incidents occur.
Another action is psychosocial support for students: the children involved in the incident will be referred to the child guidance clinic and other support services, including the ministry of justice’s victim services division, to address the emotional and psychological damage caused.
There will also be ongoing counselling for the school community. The ministry’s guidance and counselling unit will intensify its presence at the school, offering continuous support to both students and staff in creating a culture of respect and empathy.
Law enforcement involvement will see the Jamaica Constabulary Force conducting specialized safety sessions with the students, emphasizing the importance of respect, discipline and conflict resolution.
The measures also include strengthening parental involvement. The ministry says the educational social worker assigned to the school will be involved actively in upcoming PTA meetings to engage parents and ensure they are equipped to support the safety and emotional needs of their children.
The final action is rigorous monitoring. The Ministry’s regional office will maintain strict oversight of the school’s compliance with these interventions and report regularly to the minister to ensure swift and effective action.
