Help for Tranquil, please

THE EDITOR: It is quite unfortunate that efforts are being made to place responsibility for the current state of student indiscipline at the Tranquillity Government Secondary School on the teachers at the school. The reality of the situation is that student indiscipline is a result of a combination of factors, teacher absenteeism being only one of them and not even the most important.

Students behaviour is progressively worsening with possession of drugs and weapons becoming commonplace. Student gangs are a feature of school life and the teacher who runs afoul of any member of a gang, whether male or female, is in for a torrid time. The teacher in the classroom is at risk and there are several reports of student assault on teachers at school. No job, other than that of a law enforcement officer, can require an employee to expose him/herself to personal danger.

The problem is exacerbated by the lack of support systems for troubled students and to assist in managing student indiscipline. The Ministry has continuously failed to maintain its promises in this regard so that teachers are sometimes made to pay for the Ministry’s failings. The irrelevance of the curriculum continues to create its own demons leading to students becoming bored and disruptive in the classrooms and frequently cutting classes. Any teacher will tell you that student boredom is one of the greatest contributors to indiscipline.

The Ministry has a responsibility to meet the undertakings given last year to make a structured intervention with all the tools required to restore the school to a state of normalcy. Until that is done in a thorough manner, it is unreasonable to expect teachers to expose themselves to abuse and possible injury from students.

KARAN MAHABIRSINGH
Carapichaima