Catholic Board queries why its schools on 'at risk' list

THE Catholic Board is troubled that some of its schools have been deemed “at risk” and are on the list of 50 schools which have police officers on patrol in them.

Fr David Khan, Vicar for Education and CEO of the Catholic Education Board of Management (CEBM) told Newsday on September 16 that to date, none of the RC schools identified, have a police presence. He wondered about the legitimacy of a list in circulation and the stigma it would attach to its institutions of learning.

“The Ministry of Education has not sent us a listing. At a meeting with the ministry about two weeks ago, the (heads of denominational) boards were told that it (policing in schools) had not yet gone to Cabinet. When asked about how schools were then selected, the ministry’s response was that it was data-driven," Khan said.

“The only listing I saw was what was published in a daily newspaper and some of our schools are on that list. I don’t know if it is a leaked list or if it is genuine. We have no police officers in our schools.”

Asked if he wanted police in RC schools, Fr Khan did not give a direct answer.

“What I do want is a full complement of teaching staff because safety is very important. If we have teachers in all of our classrooms doing what they are supposed to do, then the police can patrol and do what they normally do.”

Khan said it is his understanding that interviews are being conducted by the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) and he hopes for a resolution, soon.

He explained that the communities in which some RC schools are located are"a bit troubled"and there are regular patrols by the community police. “But, they (community police) do not have a presence in these schools.”

He said the CEMB has tried their best to manage discipline and security at RC schools and was "a bit peeved" by some RC schools being on a list and identified as high-risk.

A report in the Catholic News stated that after the meeting with the ministry two weeks ago, the CEMB got its first inclination that Rose Hill RC, Our Lady of Laventille RC, Bethlehem Boys RC, Diego Martin Girls and Diego Martin Boys RC, San Juan Boys RC and La Romaine RC were on a list that was published in a daily newspaper.

At the start of the school term, officers were deployed to 50 schools considered high-risk, to maintain law an order following several incidents of school violence among students.

Fr Khan said everyone was taken by surprise to see their schools listed and overtures to the ministry for information regarding the safety intervention into schools, elicited no response.

Education Minister Dr Michael Dowlath, when contacted on September 16, said he was out of office all day and has forwarded Newsday's queries to the ministry's communications department.

Meantime, president of the National Council of Parent Teacher Associations (NPTA) Walter Stewart said he has reversed his stance against having police officers in schools.

Stewart said a fight between a student and teacher at the Arima North Secondary School, during the first week of the term, caused his change of heart, and he now welcomes a police presence in schools.