Education Minister Wycliffe Smith speaking to Director Rita Bourne-Gumbs on Wednesday.
PHILIPSBURG–Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Wycliffe Smith visited the frustrated staff of St. Maarten Vocational Training School (SMVTS) on Wednesday morning after a vehicle owned by one of the teachers was stolen by a student on Tuesday. The teachers stood in solidarity with their colleague as they called for a safer school environment for both staff and students.
According to police, two 16-year-old students were detained on Wednesday for stealing the vehicle.
Minister Smith said on Thursday that he had listened to the teachers, who expressed their concerns about the recent situation as well as the many occurrences of deviant student behaviour in the past. He said he had promised to address the teachers’ fears, starting by having additional security as of the following day.
He also advised the teachers and staff that the education of all of the other students entrusted to them is important and therefore their cooperation to work together with the school management to ensure a safe environment is very important. Smith also promised that the fencing around the school would be fortified to ensure that students will only be able to enter through the front gate.
“The safety of staff and students alike is of paramount importance,” he said.
Minister Smith was accompanied by his Cabinet Chief of staff Peter Gittens, who also addressed students to get their feedback on their views of safety and learning at the public secondary school. The students gave valid insight of their homes, community and school environs, and how these impact their learning.
As the Ministry of Education is actively working on a safe school plan that will be presented to Parliament, departments and divisions within the ministry are concurrently busy with the execution of different aspects of the plan.
According to Smith, “The situation at the St. Maarten Vocational Training School is one that has been neglected for too long, and now, as a community, we must put all efforts together to correct the issues. At this point in time, this school needs a holistic, multi-faceted approach, as the matters go beyond the scope of this ministry. I have already sought and received approval from the Prime Minister for the placement of two members of the Volunteer Korps at SMVTS daily.”
This added security measure was in place as of Thursday, February 7, until further notice.
Smith also stated that for improvement of the teaching-learning environment and the productivity of the school, all stakeholders must be involved for the change to take effect and to ensure the success that is desired by all.
“To effectively overhaul the system that exists at this school, the participation of the Ministry, the management, teachers, staff, students and parents are vital. Just as important is the cooperation of the school bus drivers, the police officers, corporate partners, the Inspectorate of Education, and the community at large,” he said.
Smith thanked Minister Stuart Johnson, who visited the school on Thursday as his replacement while he is in Curaçao on a scheduled working visit. Smith said he will be sitting with Minister of Justice Cornelius de Weever to further discuss the way forward as it relates to Justice.
Reports have been received of St. Maarten Vocational Training School students seen loitering on the streets during school hours. Some accounts reported that some of these students have been seen conducting criminal activity in different areas of the community.
“We must unite and focus to make St. Maarten Vocational Training School a place where we are happy to send our children. It takes a village to raise a child, and in this case, we need the village to help to redirect our youth. I am encouraging persons to look out for all school-age children, encourage them to stay in school, and alert the authorities when there is reasonable suspicion of truancy or wrongdoing,” said Smith.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/85066-minister-smith-working-on-solutions-for-teachers-of-vocational-training-school
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