Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter

Heywood and Henry

In light of Thursday's shooting of a girl at Norman Manley High School in St. Andrew, the head of the Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA) yesterday urged the Government to provide more equipment to assist school resource officers (SROs).

"I feel that the Safe Schools Programme should be given more resources than it is given now as it relates to equipment such as surveillance cameras," JTA President Hopeton Henry told The Gleaner yesterday.

On Thursday, a 15-year-old boy was showing an illegal firearm to students in a classroom at Norman Manley High School when the gun went off, wounding a 15-year-old girl in her right arm. An alarm was raised and when teachers and students attempted to accost the boy, he pointed the firearm at them and escaped.

The girl was treated and released from hospital and the boy was later picked up by the police in Spanish Town.

"The situation is getting out of hand and needs to be arrested urgently," the JTA boss declared.

Superintendent Norman Heywood, who is in charge of the police component of the Safe Schools Programme echoed similar sentiments.

metal detectors

"I support Mr. Henry's call (for more equipment including surveillance cameras) but I would go even further to say that metal detectors should be in schools," said Supt. Heywood.

He argued that the need for metal detectors in some schools is urgent, noting that, even if there were SROs at the institutions every day, students would still find creative ways of taking weapons to school.

"These kids are innovative for the wrong reasons and, if they want to carry guns, unless you have surveillance cameras and metal detectors, kids can throw guns over the fence and walk through the gates free," he said.

Supt. Heywood cited a case in which some boys in one school were able to take in machetes and hide them in the ceiling of the bathroom.

The Safe Schools Programme was introduced in schools in September 2004 and involves the placement of law enforcement officers from the Jamaica Constabulary Force at more than 144 schools islandwide. The officers are responsible for mentoring students, mediating in disputes and conducting weapons surveillance, among other things.

"It is a shame that we have reached the stage where our children are taking lethal weapons to school," said Senator Noel Monteith, State Minister for Education.

Senator Monteith said that while there are targeted searches of students in schools, there can only be done by police officers in conjunction with principals.

He said he supported the call for metal detectors in schools. However, he noted that the cost factor could prevent this from becoming a reality.