Mucurapo students: Like we in jail

STUDENTS of the Mucurapo Junior Secondary school say they feel like they are in jail, with the new Wirewall security fence. The perimeter fence has been attracting lots of attention since it was put up about a month ago. Newsday’s news room has gotten calls from members of the public who expressed concern it was too “jail-like” and wondered why the students of the nation must be subjected to such treatment. However, the Ministry of Education said the fence was necessary for security and indiscipline matters and they had received only “positive endorsements” about the new fence. Newsday spoke to several students at the school who expressed disgust about the new security measure. Most students said the fence “is nice, but it looking too much like a jail.” They said they would have preferred if they didn’t have to attend a school with such an “unfriendly fence.”

Some girls however said “the schools have bad children.” One girl said, “the fence would not change their behaviour.” She didn’t think the fence would create more violent students, saying “once they are on a violent path they will remain that way.” Another girl said before the fence was put up, students use to jump over it to get out. Some boys said besides the “jail-like feeling,” they were peeved that “we can’t come and buy pies through the chain link fence during the break.” They complained the cafeteria was too expensive and it was far easier to “get the tasty pies through the fence.” A concrete wall has been erected at the front of the school facing the Jamaat-al-Muslimeen compound, while the “Wirewall” fence is on the remaining sides of the school.

Students at the nearby Mucurapo Senior Comprehensive School also expressed their dislike regarding the fence. They agreed it was looking like a “jail” and was not conducive to learning. They also complained that they are searched and scanned with metal detectors. However, the Minis-try of Education has said the use of the Wirewall high security fencing system was an effort to deal with the “disruptive elements” at the nation’s schools. When the fence was launched at the Hilton last month, Anthony Alphonse, Project Supervisor of the Educational Facilities Management Unit (EMFU) of the Ministry said 33 schools were targetted to have the fence. At the launch, the fence had already been erected at five schools — Malick Senior Com-prehensive, Chag-uanas Senior Compre-hensive, Success/Lav-entille Senior Compr-ehensive, San Juan Secondary and Mor-vant/Laventille. Alphonse said that depending on the success of the project, a massive upgrade of all secondary schools, including denominational schools would take place.

He said the fence was “a quantum leap in perimeter security.” The Ministry’s communications specialist, Mervyn Critchlow, said they had not received any negative feedback about the fence, rather they were given “positive endorsements.” He said lots of meetings were held with stakeholders, including the National Parent Teachers Association (NPTA) and TTUTA, who were shown photographs and samples of the fence. He said 33 government and government assisted schools and one primary school, the St Barb’s Government Primary School would have the fences. He said no denominational schools would  have the fence. He said it was decided that the Wirewall was the best way to go, because it was more secure. He said some schools had drug problems and drugs cannot be passed through the new fence. He added, “we have to provide what’s best for the students to protect them from the environment in which their schools are located.”