A STORY IN Tuesday's Gleaner reported a demonstration at the Vauxhall High School in east Kingston influenced by safety concerns at the school.
The institution has been experiencing security concerns for several months and there has even been a rape incident there. The problem is so bad that female students prefer to use the staff bathroom than their own and teachers get distracted in classes when men from the community come and look through the windows into the classroom while classes are being conducted.
This story has again raised the question of whether we are really serious about education. How can we be trying to encourage positive behaviour in our youth when we expose them to dangers such as getting raped during the school day. How can students concentrate on learning when they are in greater danger of being attacked or assaulted?
What's worse is that the story reported that the hole in the perimeter fence that was destroyed during Hurricane Ivan is the source of their problem. This damage occurred in 2004 and now in 2006 the problem still exists. When will we get it right?
The residents in the nearby comunities should also be blamed because they have allowed the men from the area to harass their children and have done very little about it.
We need to get serious about what we are doing about education in Jamaica. If we are saying to students go to school and learn, then the Government must provide a safe haven where they can focus and gain this knowledge without fear.
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