The Ministry of Education is planning to roll out a new master plan to stem the incidence of violence in public schools islandwide.

Speaking at a press conference at Jamaica House on Tuesday, aimed at adding impetus to Peace Day celebrations set for March 3, Education Minister Andrew Holness said the initiative was critical to denting the current spate of student aggression.

"This year, we are now reviewing, to sign (with PALS Jamaica), a new memorandum of understanding titled 'Creating and Maintaining Peace in Schools'," said Holness. "It will cost approximately $6 million to $7 million and will be launched in 90 primary schools and 11 high schools across Jamaica."

The minister emphasised that school violence was symptomatic of the wider decay of positive social values and urged Jamaicans not to focus on linking crime to poverty. He also said violence had become a default strategy for resolving conflicts and enforcing compliance.

Confilict resolution

"Violence is not just a manifestation of poverty in Jamaica; violence has become a subculture. It is the instinctive response that pervades social transactions," stated Holness.

"Poverty, to me, does not increase violence; but violence is a psychosocial phenomenon that has a life and culture of its own and this requires intervention on the part of the Government."

The ministry is also in the process of conducting an audit of school curricula in order to incorporate conflict-resolution strategies into formal education.

Minister Holness emphasised that teachers could not bear the brunt of responsibility for disciplining children and urged parents to step up to the plate.

"Parents have to be singing from the same hymn book as the teachers so that the values are not eroded or a conflict doesn't arise," he said.

In the meantime, the minister appealed to private-sector stakeholders to support the violence-prevention and advocacy group, Peace and Love in Society (PALS).

In the meantime, Janilee Abrikian, general manager of PALS, said this year's Peace Day theme, 'Peace Now - Nuh Linga!', reflected the urgency of promoting non-violence in the society.