Suspension ineffective? Ministry revisiting school disciplinary policy
The Ministry of Education is revisiting existing disciplinary policies implemented for students presenting with behavioural issues at schools.
Education Minister Sharie de Castro made that announcement while appearing as a guest speaker at a meeting with the Rotary Club of Central Tortola recently.
The minister describes as “a huge problem”, the existing policy of suspending undisciplined students from school. According to de Castro, suspension or the threat of it is largely meaningless to these types of students.
“So, you have an infraction and there is a consequence but often times the main consequence that has been perpetuated is suspension. Suspension is ‘I don’t get to come to school’. [What we are re-examining now is] how do we create other opportunities for consequences … We’ve started to have a discussion about it,” de Castro shared.
She said one option being considered is tying the consequence to a productive activity that behaviourally challenged students enjoy.
As things stand now, students are allowed to participate in extracurricular activities regardless of grades or behaviour but de Castro said this is something that could potentially change.
“My consequence [for behavioural issues] at the first instance is not suspension. [For example], children like athletics… If you really like track, or basketball or soccer and you really want to keep doing it, if I tell you that you can’t do it if you choose to behave in a certain way or don’t have the grades, trust me, innately if you’re passionate about it, you’re going to do what you got to do to be in school because you understand there is a consequence for your action but the consequence is tied to something that you love,” she explained.
The first-term legislator, who only recently inherited the education ministerial portfolio, said there are other options to consider such as “alternate education”.
She said she recently had a meeting with secondary school principals and other members of her ministry about the subject matter. “We strategised and we’re currently re-looking at the discipline policy,” she said.
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Finally…in bigger schools if your grade are not to a certain gpa you can’t part take on any school teams
Let their backside go and pick up trash in town. Some of those children are way out of control and have no respect for themselves or others.
is a the best punishment for bad behaviour. Put the delinquents to work cleaning Wc’s, floors, classrooms, stairwells and grounds keeping. Make them report to school and hour early and leave an hour late each school day. Also no lunch break.
Suspension cannot be taken off the table. This is an option in every single learning institution in the world. It should be one of the last measures adopted but it should remain. The suspension is not just about the child that is causing the issues. It’s also about preserving the learning environment for the other students who want to learn and also using the teacher’s time wisely to benefit others. The students who are misbehaving should be assessed and appropriate measures be put in place to help them.
Children getting children so wha ayo expect?
Not all students are good at school and sports and other activities are all they could depend on to feel good about them self and I don’t that should be taken away. Just like how some students are bad at sports and excel in school work
Personally I think community service where they assist with doing a chore for the elderly or some other place where they way develop a sense of importance.eg Reading, singing, poetry if they so inclined along with some theray session.
Some of these kids are crying out fro help but go about it the wrong way or maybe the only way they know. Speaking from my experience at that age.
Personally I think community service where they assist with doing a chore for the elderly or some other place where they way develop a sense of importance.eg Reading, singing, poetry if they so inclined along with some theray session.
While doing this they are still allowed to receive their school work and pass in assignments.
Some of these kids are crying out fro help but go about it the wrong way or maybe the only way they know. Speaking from my experience at that age.
Another potential option that could work is an ‘in school suspension’ – the child is removed from their regular class and given their work to complete in a designated room or area for the duration of the suspension (area is often adjacent to the office of the school head). This way they are still in school and monitored, but they are not able to disrupt their classmates. Of course – this area would need to be monitored. The school will have a very good idea of which staff members would be able to handle such a supervisory role.
I think the majority of these people running the Education Ministry need to do some psychology classes.. of course, if I am a student and I want to stay home I would miss behave so they can suspend me and be home doing nothing.. Y’all need to do better and give these kids proper punishments.. Not send them home so they could miss the classes.. If we continue like this we are going to continue to create more criminals.. Smh ayo need to think and do better.. SUSPENSION WONT HELP A THING!!!
Shareen though she is best for tourism she will continue to suffer and be oppressed because she is out spoken and dislike wrong. Seems like Sowande found away to shut her up..If she allow Sowande or any other persons to shut her up, then she is just another fake, real people don’t change, can’t be changed muzzled..
Put them to cut bush and pick up garbage… Thats what they gonna end up doing anyway without education
I LIKE THE WAY YOU COME ACROSS , AND THEN AGAIN WE HAVE TO CHECK OUT THOSE KINDS OF STUDENTS , THE PARENTS HAS TO TO OBSERVE AND
GET THEIR CHILDREN TESTED TO SEE WHATS IN THEIR SYSTEM , IF THEY REALLY ARE SERIOUS ABOUT THEIR CHILD’S EDUCATION AND WELLBEING
BECAUSE IF THOSE STUDENTS ARE ON PILLS , IMPORTED WEED OR OTHER MIND ALTERING DRUGS ,SUSPENSIONS WON’T MAKE A DIFFERENCE ( SOME SCHOOL CHILDREN GOT OVERDOSED ON MARIJUANA CHOCOLATE CANDY A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO , IN ST THOMAS
100% correct “Common sense “ suspension is stupid you don’t wanna go school just act bad , a real punishment has to be thought of.
CUT DEM LIL @$$
You don’t do s**t so it’s best to leave your muffle on like real dummy
you’re thinking about doing things . . seems thats all this gov can get to. education starts at home, have some classes for parents on how to instill good studying habits and respect for others . .
anyone know how bvi hs grads do compared to UK?
I have always believed that Suspensions was the teachers saying that’s not our problem let your parents deal with it. it only cause students to fall behind and eventually give up. These backward policies have created delinquents. I was appalled to learn that within the first week of school last year a student was suspended for a trivial unintended violation. the principals, teachers knew the student their fellow classmate did not knew the student either, yet the responsibility for getting notes was the responsibility of of the student. that was a classic case of setting someone up for failure. but most people are sheep and only concern themselves with rules, and cannot see beyond that.
Quite a few of those children have a different learning style than what your teachers are trained to teach to. You can change policy but if funds are not invested in training for teaching children who learn differently you will get more of the same behavior problems. You also need a few school physcologists and social workers on the school campuses. Otherwise the end result will be more young men on the street corners, increases in crime etc.
So true. Investment in education and targeted after school programs.
What do you suggest is the alternative to dealing with these disruptive kids.
Since Irma the kids have largely been forgotten. Back to the BVI high School can only provide half days is proof. Drug trafficking and corruption, which has been a problem in the BVI since the ’60s, has had a severe negative effect on our culture.
Troubled youth highlights the failings of social responsibility.
There needs to be a much greater focus on education and opportunities for these kids not just in schools, elective programs for technical skills, the arts, community involvement.
And for the truly delinquent- boot camps & juvenile detention.
Most of them can be deported.
Sorry
Let us pray for election to call soon. This lady is clueless. Weak and out of touch. Will go down as the worst Education Minister.
These kids can be corrected, starting with a good beating. A good beating of their parents as they are the ones responsible for the terrible behavior and disrespect that runs rampant in the schools. Beat the he*l out of the parents and maybe the correction can start at the source.