CHARLESTOWN, Nevis - THE Ministry of Education (MOE) on Nevis is currently probing an altercation that left a student nursing injuries to the mouth and several others suspended from the learning institution.
The incident occurred on Wednesday (May 24) at the Charlestown Secondary School (CSS) and it has left some parents up in arms, as a number of videos of the incident are making rounds across the Federation.
Based on the videos, two female students could be seen in an altercation with audible obscene language being belted out, while a number of classmates stood by watching and other recording with their mobile devices.
In one instance, as the scuffle intensified, a number of students joined in and began hitting one of the students.
At one point, a bottle was thrown.
The MOE of the Nevis Island Administration noted that it is in possession of footage of the incident and the matter “will be thoroughly investigated”.
“The Ministry of Education is in possession of footage of an altercation which took place at the Charlestown Secondary School on Wednesday, 24th May, 2023. The matter is currently being investigated to ensure that we gather information from the involved parties.
“The Ministry of Education takes matters of this nature very seriously as this type of behaviour has no place in the school environment. As such, this matter will be thoroughly investigated and will be dealt with expeditiously.
“Our goal is to foster a child-friendly environment and we take this opportunity to assure the public that we will continue to strive to ensure that our schools are safe spaces for all students.”
In recent years, CSS has been under the spotlight surrounding violence on its premises involving students. Also, over the years, the school was forced to suspend students for fights or carrying weapons, and there were even reports of stabbing incidents.
It should be noted that fights in schools are not limited to the CSS, but rather a systemic problem across schools in the Federation.
SKNVibes News recently questioned the Education Minister, Dr. Geoffrey Hanley, about safety and security in schools, in light of the fact that it is a problem that is being replicated across the region, including where parents sometimes enter the institutions to physically assault teachers.
Hanley explained that the Government would be taking proactive measures to ensure the safety and security of students and teachers remain of paramount importance.
He disclosed that they would be instituting monitors within schools, who would be working not only to provide safety and security, but also guidance counselling to students.
As part of security measures within the institutions, following the shooting-death of a crossing guard, the Government will rollout the implementation of cameras within schools, which, according to Hanley, is a project that was already contracted for and not fulfilled by the contractors.
“Now that I am the Minister, I also got the opportunity to see documents where hundreds of thousands of dollars were paid to a company that was supposed to supply cameras in all of our high schools, and that project has not yet been done,” Hanley told reporters back in March.
It was against that backdrop that he reiterated the assurance that security “of our students and our schools will become a priority under my tenure”.
