Ministry publishes manual on maintaining conducive learning environments
THE Education Ministry, on Wednesday, published its ‘Protocol for Safe and Secure Schools’, a 35-page manual that spells out the way forward to maintain conducive learning environments in safety. A release said the document is the product of a national stakeholders’ consultation convened last year at the National Conference Centre in Greater Georgetown.
The Ministry and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) financed initiative aims to equip school managers with requisite skills to effectively respond to critical situations, for instance, when they should seek the intervention of the police and the procedures to conduct searches on students.
Apart from this, other important matters, which include the role of the school administrators, staff, students, parents/guardians, police, education officials, guidance and counselling officers, in promoting a culture of learning in schools, is addressed.
The code of behaviour also covers issues such as access to and managing of illegal weapons and illicit substances in schools, monitoring of gangs, associations, anti-social cliques and dealing with the aftermath of an incident.
Education Minister Shaik Baksh, speaking on the Wednesday occasion in the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD), said the drive and commitment of the Ministry to promote and maintain discipline in schools cannot be questioned, as these are reflected in the numerous interventions to address the problem.
“These include the introduction of the Health and Family Life Education (HFLE) programme in 70 schools, the promotion of child-friendly schools and the introduction of a mentoring programme, the launching of students’ councils, the resuscitation of parent/ teacher associations and the strengthening of the human resource capacity of the Schools Welfare Department,” he explained.
The release said the Minister disclosed that the capacity of this department will be enhanced to enable it to reach out to more students, particularly those in hinterland dorms.
He added that these initiatives have been having a positive impact in inculcating safe and acceptable behaviours in students, pointing out that the Ministry has managed to keep indisciplined behaviours in the school system under control.
Mr. Baksh said that guidance and counselling officers have been working with selected schools and reaching out to other students who need help.
He lauded the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) for its contribution to the manual, noting that safe and secure learning environments must be the business of all.
GTU President, Mr. Colin Bynoe said the union is pleased to have an input in the document and is solidly behind the Ministry’s efforts to promote safe and secure learning environments.
Chief Education Officer, Mr. Olato Sam was also present at the event and said the manual is of great significance to the Ministry and concurred that safe school environments are a prerequisite to learning.
He stressed that the Ministry will be monitoring the implementation of the manual and called for it to be infused into the Education Management Programme being offered by NCERD as well as the education programme at the University of Guyana (UG).
UNICEF representative, Ms. Michelle Rodrigues lauded the work of the Ministry in promoting discipline and safe and conducive learning environments in the school system, pledging the agency’s support to continue working with the ministry.