(L-R) Talking Points Co-host Elvin Grant, Co-host Violet Thomas-Gaul, Chief Education Officer Ms Orlandette R. Crabbe, Minster for Education, Youth Affairs and Sports Hon Sharie B. de Castro (AL) and Co-host Damion C. Grange on Talking Points on February 24, 2025. Photo: Facebook

Chief Education Officer Orlandette R. Crabbe said the safety and security of the 1300 students at the Elmore Stoutt High School needs to be maintained. Photo: VINO

Speaking on Talking Points on ZBVI 780 AM, on Monday, February 24, 2025, Mrs Crabbe explained if a student gets into trouble there’s a list of school-based interventions that take place from in-school detention, work duty during lunch, parent-teacher conferences and eventually suspension. 

Psychoeducational assessments

The CEO revealed that in 2023, the ministry undertook an exercise whereby students fitting a particular description were sent for psychoeducational assessments. 

“This is an evaluation by a clinician to help us understand what is going on because the behaviours are pervasive, they’re persistent, their logic and reasoning do not align with their chronological age,” she explained. 

She said these children do not reason the way they should be as they have no remorse or understanding and are never wrong even when caught in the act. 

“So there are some indicators that it is not just misbehaviour…but they’re indicators that there’s much more happening there,” Mrs Crabbe said. 

‘Severe mental health challenges’

Meanwhile, Mrs Crabbe added the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the developing minds of some young people has been downplayed. 

“The young people of this age, the people who we are talking about, would have experienced Irma when they were little children, and before they could catch themselves, they were isolated for an extended period of time…While you and I have been able to bounce back from that a lot of our young people are suffering with severe mental health challenges that are causing them to lash out in ways we see as misbehaviour,” she said. 

Clinicians who assess the students create care plans for them, conduct therapy sessions, and family therapy sessions. 

Mrs Crabbe said the ministry is then advised if the child is ready to return to campus. Some of them she clarified are unable to return to school due to the clinicians’ findings that they are unable to function on campus based on what has been unearthed. 

“The campus is just too much, too overwhelming, too overstimulating, they can’t function in a school setting like this [and so] this is what that child needs,” she added. 

Mrs Crabbe said some students attend the alternative secondary education programme with parental permission. She explained that while the program is for older children, a separate group for younger students have been created for those experiencing behavioural challenges. 

We have to maintain safety & security- Mrs Crabbe

She went on to say there is a point at which the safety and security of the school campus must be maintained. 

“There are 1300 children on Elmore Stoutt Campus and the majority of them are there to learn and we owe it to them to deliver a safe and secure learning environment,” Mrs Crabbe added.