Crawford: Williams Lacks Ideas to Fix Problems in Education

Opposition Spokesperson on Education, Senator Damion Crawford, says Wednesday’s contribution to the sectoral debate by Education Minister Fayval Williams shows that she lacks the ideas to solve the problems plaguing the sector.

During her presentation, Minister Williams reiterated a slew of programmes meant to address violence in schools.

Among those were the government’s safety and security protocol which entails the training of personnel, counselling at-risk children and engaging parents.

She noted conflict resolution sessions, restorative justice training, parenting workshops and the involvement of the Police to search, patrol and carry out gang intervention activities on campuses upon request.

But Senator Crawford says the current programmes are inadequate.

Minister Williams said the government couldn’t address the issue of student violence alone.

She noted that the community needed to play its part.

She also contended that loud and lewd music in communities could potentially be contributing to the high levels of violence in schools.

However, Senator Crawford believes the focus on music is misplaced.

Meanwhile, Senator Crawford says using creative ways to involve parents in the school life of their children would be among measures he’d implement to address student violence.