There is no doubt that the education system has and continues to fail us. This was once again highlighted recently, as news raced through the local scene of a gun related incident involving a parent and a student.
The incident which reportedly took place at a secondary school in the North of the island on the morning of Tuesday May 6th, sent shockwaves through social media prompting a swift response from the Royal St. Lucia Police Force (RSLPF).
While the matter is under investigation, users of the various social media platforms have wasted little time in exploring what really transpired and what the possible outcome will be. A few have resorted to laying blame solely at the feet of the reported firearm wielding parent. There is some blame that has been shovelled in the direction of parents generally. It came to light later, however, that the incident took place as a result of her child (The firearm wielding Parent) reportedly being bullied at school.
Make no mistake, no one can defend brandishing a firearm at any school. That said, the reported cause of the issue must be examined.
What has the Ministry of Education done to properly educate teachers about bullying? What is the defined policy in that regard? These are only two critical questions that must be addressed in the fight to stem incidents like these. The general consensus is that teachers around the island are ill equipped to recognize let alone deal with this growing surge. The National Center for Educational Statistics (no, not in St. Lucia) in the United States, found that every demographic experiences bullying with African Americans carrying the brunt of the load. The Center looked at direct and indirect bullying as well as cyberbullying. The Center also found that there has been a steady increase in cases since 2016 and that bullied students are very likely to struggle academically. The Centers for Disease Control (no, not in St. Lucia) in the United States, weighed in on the issue of bullying. The CDC marks bullying as a growing scurge especially in high schools. While these studies, statistics and findings are based on the US education system we can be sure that our education environment suffers as well. The difference is that it may not be reported as much.
The RSLPF will deal with whatever legal infractions they find in this matter. Likewise, our Ministry of Education must move to institute a student welfare or student health department which aligns perfectly with pronouncements made by Prime Minister Phillip J. Pierre during his recent budget address.
It must be said that the Ministry of Education, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training has been swift in its effort to denounce “all forms of violence or threats of violence that occur on school grounds.” The May 8th statement spoke of a Regional School Safety Ministerial Conference in St. Lucia next week, when issues like these will be discussed. While it is a necessity for stakeholders to thrash out such critical hindrances to student development, it is feared that this may just be another opportunity to do just that, talk.