( L - R ) Nadine Molloy, Ruel Reid - Norman Grindley /Chief Photographer

Schools have begun implementing safety and security measures as instructed by the Ministry of Education, but are reportedly running into challenges.

The measures, contained in a document, will, by this year, form the basis of a Safe Schools Act. It details the state of safety and security that the Ministry of Education wants each school to attain, gives guidance to the institutions and explains the philosophy of the policy.

"It cannot be fully implemented, because some schools do not have some of the prerequisites," Nadine Molloy, president of the Jamaica Association of Secondary School Principals told The Gleaner Tuesday.

She further explained that some institutions lacked adequate perimeter fencing and some were still operating without deans of discipline, a post required under the policy.

Molloy noted that institutions with resources had started installing security cameras and using metal detectors, some of which were provided by the education ministry.

Completing aself-assessment

Molloy, who is principal of Buff Bay High School in Portland, said her school was in the process of completing a self-assessment to send to the education ministry.

Meanwhile, Ruel Reid, principal of Jamaica College, said the use of metal detectors at his school was reaping success. However, he noted that while he was not fully satisfied that they had confiscated every weapon, fewer students were taking them on the school compound.

Jamaica College had serious problems with delinquency, but has reportedly been transformed into a model institution.

The Success Centre, a special unit set up at the school for problem students, was introduced in December 2006. Participants were removed from the larger student body for six weeks in the first instance and taken through a programme of reorientation, designed specifically to meet their psychological and emotional needs.

Those who completed the programme successfully were reinstated in the mainstream, hopefully, with a new, better attitude.

Reid said the programme no longer existed, because the behaviour of the general school population had improved significantly.

Employed a social worker

He noted that the school had, however, continued to monitor the boys and had employed a social worker.

"We have done our corrective measures and have now moved on to preventative ones," said the principal.

Reid told The Gleaner that if the school's internal intervention did not work, students would be recommended to the education ministry's Programme for Alternative Student Support or the time-out facility, which is to come on stream in September.

petrina.francis@gleanerjm.com