THE Ministry of Education has not just taken away use of the cane at schools and left teachers and children without adequate measures to ensure discipline.

There are a number of proposed measures, which are in place to assist both the child and teacher to encourage favourable behaviour from children in school. Some of these are incentives for acceptable behaviour, creation of a child friendly environment, incorporating both the child and the parent in the formulation of school rules and making parents more legally responsible for their child's behaviour. These measures are intended to get students, teachers and parents involved in creating an atmosphere that they would agree to upkeep.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Hydar Ally, Minister Dr. Henry Jeffrey, and other Ministry Executives are of the opinion that these measures will greatly help to develop the total child. The Ministry was also quick to point out that although the abuse of children at school was one of the major contributors to the recall of the use of 'the cane' in schools, it has been revealed that a greater part of child abuse occurs in the home and not in the school environment.

Repeatedly, the Ministry has made it explicitly clear that parents and not teachers are responsible for the disciplining of children especially since the child spends the major part of the day in the home environment. The Permanent Secretary has also concluded that an interagency approach is needed to adequately address the situation of delinquency and indiscipline.
Famous Richmond.