WILLEMSTAD – The Curaçao government will begin implementing five measures aimed at improving safety in schools starting Monday, September 28, following days of consultations with education unions, school administrators and the Curaçao Police Force.
The measures follow growing concerns about violence and safety in schools and discussions involving Justice Minister Shalten Hato, Social Development, Labor and Welfare Minister Charetti America-Francisca and Education Minister Sithree van Heydoorn, who participated virtually.
Representatives of the DOEN, STSK, ABVO and STRaF unions were involved in the consultations, along with police and school administrators.
The first measure will begin in classrooms Monday morning. Schools will be asked to dedicate the first lesson period to a discussion with students about norms and values, respect, tolerance, violence prevention, positive citizenship and shared responsibility.
The objective is to encourage students to consider their own role in creating a safe and respectful school environment.
Ministers responsible for Education, Social Development, Justice and Public Health will also issue a joint video message directed at students, parents, teachers, non-teaching personnel and school administrators. The message will emphasize that aggression and violence will not be tolerated and that school safety is a shared responsibility.
A third measure involves increased surveillance around schools considered to have a higher risk profile. Police, school administrators, unions and the government have agreed that additional or more targeted surveillance will be organized where necessary. The government says schools will be identified based on objective criteria.
Authorities will also introduce a uniform procedure for reporting and following up on school incidents.
The procedure is intended to establish which incidents must be reported immediately, who should receive the report, how quickly it must be made and who will be responsible for coordinating the follow-up.
Finally, each school board will have a clearly identifiable contact person for school safety. School administrators and staff representatives will therefore have a designated person to approach with warning signs, concerns or urgent situations requiring attention.
The government says the measures demonstrate that consultations held during the past week are being followed by concrete action.
Officials stressed, however, that the measures taking effect Monday are only the beginning. Additional proposals for the short, medium and long term remain under consideration.