Director Browne calls on the church and multiple-job parents to help schools address the problem of student-loitering

With government schools having reopened on Monday for the 2022/2023 academic year, the problem of uniformed students loitering after school may rear its ugly head again.

Education officials say they are earnestly trying to stamp this out, since residents claim the issue has gotten worse.

Last school year, complaints were lodged about students loitering at business places, mostly restaurants, and becoming very disruptive, boisterous and disrespectful.

Director of Education Clare Browne says this fight is not only for the Ministry of Education, but for parents – who have a role to play in ensuring that their children go directly home at the end of the school day.

Browne says he has spoken at length about this issue and has even made suggestions on how it could be curbed. Among these, he believes that parents should be made to answer for the actions of their children.

Browne says that certain issues cannot be left up to the principals and teachers, who also have their families and personal issues to deal with, especially after school.

Accordingly, he notes that the rearing of children is a holistic effort that should involve everyone: the school, the home and the church.

Browne adds that Parent/Teacher Associations have a role to play, as well, in coming up with ideas to tackle the bothersome issues affecting the schools and students.

But sharing the blame for the waywardness of their children, the Director says, are those parents whose multiple jobs take up their entire attention.