Working together to find a solution to youth violence in schools and public spaces 

WILLEMSTAD - The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport (ESKD) held a meeting together with the Ministry of Justice. Ministers van Heydoorn and Hato, along with their respective management teams, convened a meeting with all School Directors. The central theme of the meeting was violence/disorderliness in the school environment and in public areas. 

Minister Hato explained the various prevention programs in place, such as "Sendé," an awareness campaign against violence, aggression, and also elaborated on a plan where the entire neighborhood around the schools receives attention. In this plan, schools collaborate with the so-called "Buurt Regisseur" (Neighborhood Directors), who are members of the police force responsible for neighborhoods. 

Minister Sithree van Heydoorn, in charge of education, addressed the school directors themselves, urging them to discuss all problematic and violent situations in and around the schools. The school directors highlighted that many times these issues originate from emotional social imbalances, imbalanced mental health, and dysfunctional families, which can lead to aggression and violence. 

It was mentioned that these meetings will continue, expanding to include the Ministry of Social Development, Labor, and Welfare, as well as the Ministry of Public Health, Environment, and Nature. The goal is to work together to develop possible solutions, and at the same time, the ministers indicated that they would address this issue with their fellow ministers within the Council of Ministers.