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| Jamaica's Education Minister, Andrew Holness (File photo) | |
KINGSTON, Jamaica, August 22, 2008 - The searching of students for weapons at schools across Jamaica has been given approval by Education Minister Andrew Holness, who has at the same time declared war on criminals.
"We are going to be signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the police where the police will be assisting you in searching your school and your students," he told educators at the 44th Annual Conference of the Jamaica Teachers' Association.
"It cannot be that weapons, such as knives, guns and other forms of offensive weapons, are allowed to easily enter our school campuses without any form of consequences."
"The teaching and learning environment is under threat. It adds to the frustration of our teachers and makes education a futile endeavour and what we intend to do is take back our schools from criminals and criminals to be," he added.
Mr Holness also spoke directly to students and parents.
"Let me use this medium to warn parents and to warn students who are inclined to take weapons to schools that if you are caught you will not be treated as a student," he said, encouraging parents to check their children before sending them off to school.
The Education Minister said schools are not war zones and therefore, having weapons at schools will not be tolerated.
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