Jamaica has an excellent education system with some of the most brilliant minds. Our schools are poised for greatness, but the lack of school safety is threatening to derail our future development.

As a result, the issue of police officers in schools has been lifting its head for a few years with "experts" giving their best advice on the matter and the Ministry of Education seeming to be looking and listening to everyone without making a definitive move.

This while our children and teachers are being abused by people who do not place any value on education.

People walk on school compounds as they wish, intimidating students and teachers who are at the whims and fancy of these hoodlums. I am quite aware that our police officers are not the most liked people in the society due to the behaviour of a few of them over the years.

Addressing the issue

However, there are honest, trustworthy officers who, if given the proper training, can adequately fit in to our school system and offer the required protection for our teachers, staff and, most importantly, our young minds. Teachers will work more effectively in a safe and secure environment and students' academic performance will definitely improve when they feel that they can do their work without peeping over their backs.

School resource officers, as they are called in the United States school system, should be viewed as people offering protection for the school community and offering the secured climate that can guarantee maximum learning. The time is now for the Ministry of Education to act and employ officers of high integrity to work in collaboration with the schools to make our school system the safe haven for our young and budding minds.

I am, etc.,

Morris McCarthy

morrismccarthy005@yahoo.com

Windsor Ave