Safety and security in schools a priority for education ministry
Published:Monday | September 5, 2016 | 12:00 AMJason Cross
Safety and security took centre stage yesterday as the 2016-2017 school year officially got under way, with a special opening ceremony organised by the Jamaica Constabulary Force in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information.
After visiting a few schools in the Corporate Area, Education Minister Ruel Reid said things had got off to a good start and announced that safety and security would be a major component that will be promoted going forward.
The Seaward Primary and Junior High School was the site of the opening, which was also attended by Commissioner of Police Dr Carl William and Prime Minister Andrew Holness, member of parliament for the St Andrew West Central constituency in which the school is located.
"Safety and security is one of my priorities as leader of the team at the ministry and, so, we are very proud and pleased to join you (the JCF) in this initiative," Reid said.
"I want parents, students, school administrators to recognise that safety and security begins with all of us. It is values and attitudes that drive our behaviour. It is the values that will determine whether we are safe or not and whether others do things that they are not supposed to do," Reid said.
Commissioner of Police Dr Carl Williams insisted that children must be protected at all costs.
"I believe that the children are the future and to that extent I think this event is demonstrative of the fact that the children must be protected at all costs. We believe that school safety is important. We see far too many of our children as victims of careless driving. Too many of our children are victims of paedophiles and we need to, as a school community and as a wider community, ensure that we stand against it," Williams said.