School students

The alarming rise in indiscipline within schools often manifesting in students engaging in criminal activities is a pressing concern.

Permanent Secretary for Education Peni Senikarawa states that addressing this challenge requires a collective effort, acknowledging the diverse family backgrounds of students.

Senikarawa emphasizes the need for the Education Ministry’s three-year strategy to tackle indiscipline issues.

He points out that blaming parents is not the solution considering the varied family structures.

The focus is on creating an inclusive school environment that provides equal opportunities for success, irrespective of different backgrounds.

“We all know that our hands are tied, we can’t discipline our children the way we used to discipline them before and that is why moral values and religious education, the ministry supporting chaplaincy work, we try and assist the teachers in discipline.”

Recognizing the burden on teachers, Senikarawa discusses the establishment of four counselling hubs by the Ministry of Education.

He acknowledges the evolving methods of discipline with an emphasis on moral values and religious education to support teachers in maintaining order.

Despite the difficulties, Senikarawa stresses the commitment to nurturing successful students and dispelling stereotypes about those from struggling families.

He highlights the challenge for teachers to retain students, given the government incentives, despite the prevalent indiscipline issues.