Morris-Julian: Education Ministry developing school infraction rubric

Minister in the Ministry of Education Lisa Morris-Julian said the ministry is in the process of creating a national school infraction rubric aimed at targeting violence in schools.

Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday in response to a question from Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh on steps taken to address school violence, Morris-Julian said the ministry began the process by collecting and analysing data on school indiscipline and violence.

“The ministry has identified schools of focus for targeted intervention, that is, schools with the highest rates of school violence, as well as those exhibiting the following characteristics: high percentage of form one students who scored under 30 per cent in the SEA, high levels of indiscipline, high absenteeism, and low levels of CSEC achievement.”

She said the ministry has collaborated with the following ministries and agencies over the last few months to devise a national school infraction rubric: National Security, Youth Development and National Service, Gender and Child Affairs, the community police, Social Development and Family Services, Tobago House of Assembly, and Sport and Community Development.

“Arising from these discussions, three multi-disciplinary teams were set up, each focusing on one of the following: school discipline matrix; positive reinforcement; and, criteria for high risk schools. An initial report on these issues is due by end of April 2022. Following the receipt of this report, a draft national school infraction rubric will be discussed with stakeholders and sent to Cabinet for consideration and approval before implementation.”

Morris-Julian said it is expected that the final rubric, along with input from Student Support Services Division, will result in positive outcomes with respect to student behaviour.

The minister said she could not confirm whether the police service had been deployed into the school system to curb violence. She said she couldn’t give a time frame at that point for a reduction in school violence.