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.... Guest Editorial

27th July 2010
Addressing indiscipline in schools

As the problem of indiscipline among Lucian students became more acute in the recent past, Students of Education District Two undertook a new and innovative approach to the problem in St. Lucia. The initiative was called “Forum on students’ discipline” and got on the way in November 2002 at the Castries Comprehensive Secondary School Auditorium.
Education Officer for District Two, Julian Delauney, then noted the Forum on Students Discipline would address disciplinary problems which face some of the schools within District Two.
Mr. Delauney also noted : “The disciplinary problems, some of them are mild but some of them are very destructive with students’ fights, students’ disrespect to authority, also students’ lateness and the whole question of irregularity at school. These are some of the major disciplinary concerns facing District Two.”
The forum aimed to provide students with a channel through which their voices are heard on the problems they encounter with discipline. as well as allowing them the chance to make recommendations and suggestions on how to resolve those problems.
Mr.Delauney said, that this activity also places much emphasis on the participation of parents.
“The parents are invited at the forum, so that they in turn would hear the views, opinions of students regarding discipline. Now it is crucial that the parents are included because the foundation of the students’ socialization begins from the home. And therefore parents need to firstly understand that there are certain important practices- parental practices - that would help in nurturing the child and helping the child to develop a better sense of behaviour and to be more disciplined.”

 
 

Delauney also stressed that the Forum on discipline would have a beneficial outcome which should make a difference as all the relevant information coming out of the session would be analyzed by a committee made up of students, parents and teachers before being compiled into a document to be sent to all schools in Education District Two for implementation where it is feasible to do so. Education District Two comprises thirteen (13) schools including eight (8) infant and primary schools and five secondary schools.
It is important to note the importance of parental care and guidance and the social impact of the home in the lives of children. Indeed, most parents are too busy making an honest living to properly supervise their many children in the home and surrounding communities. So poor socialization in the home and domestic environment accounts heavily for the chronic indiscipline among students at various levels in the education system.
There is therefore a serious need to educate Lucian parents about proper parenting and their contribution to their child’s performance in schools. Also, teachers should be efficiently trained in employing various methods of behaviour modification strategies. But parents must be employed to provide sustenance for their large families. Hence, smaller families are less costly and more manageable.
A serious attempt must be made to address indiscipline in our schools and move toward a more disciplined school culture islandwide.
(From an article submitted by Frank Girard).

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