ESHS teachers being trained in conflict resolution

Teachers at the Elmore Stoutt High School (ESHS) are now receiving conflict resolution training to better manage student behaviour and maintain a productive learning environment, officials said on Tuesday.

Chief Education Officer Orlandette Crabbe said the initiative aims to equip teachers with skills to de-escalate conflicts and engage students more effectively.

“We have started doing conflict resolution training with our teachers because we recognise that this is an area they need help with,” Crabbe said.

“I want to say that it is a difficult place to be in as a teacher when you come with your mission to educate and you have one or two children in your group that consistently are disruptive, disrespectful, and so on,” she added.

The programme comes as schools in the BVI face growing challenges related to student misconduct, including disruptive behaviour, low academic engagement, and confrontations with teachers.

Crabbe related that some students exhibit persistent behavioural issues that complicate classroom management. “Their logic and reasoning does not align with their chronological age,” she explained. “So you’re looking at children who don’t reason the way they should be reasoning. There’s no remorse. There’s no understanding. They’re never wrong… You see them do it [and] they still don’t own up to doing it.”

The training includes role-playing exercises, workshops, and discussions aimed at helping teachers learn effective communication strategies. Crabbe said the sessions are designed to teach teachers “how to speak to students, when to speak to them, and where to speak to them.”

The initiative is part of a broader strategy to improve school safety and learning outcomes amid reports of increased misbehaviour and contraband found on school grounds. ESHS has implemented stricter enforcement of the student code of conduct and introduced school resource officers to maintain order.

Meanwhile, Education Minister Sharie deCastro emphasised the need for community support to address behavioural challenges. “We are open to any potential resource because we need all hands on deck to fix this problem,” she said.