“The policy is being in place to nurture and help children realise their full potential but not to punish the students,” said Education Secretary, Sangay Zam, in a press conference yesterday. The new policy of zero tolerance to indiscipline in schools has raised many eyebrows, especially parents having school going children. The Secretary said many people have misunderstood the difference between removal and expulsion.
“Before expulsion, there is what is called suspension. If suspension doesn’t work then we have what you call removal of child, which mean we can call the parents to the school and may be advise the parents that it might be better if they move their child to another environment. And that is not an expulsion,” she explains.
The education ministry said that termination of students will be kept as the last resort. It will only be done if the students have been involved in violent crimes, which would affect safety of other children.
According to the new guidelines expulsion is the last resort and can only be applied after taking a series of preventive and corrective measures. “A student once expelled cannot attend any school in the country and a student below the age of 14 ‘may not’ be expelled are among others”.
This particular provision, according to the ministry, is that it has caught every one’s attention and most feel that ministry is simply expelling children.
“We go through all the process of trying preventative measures, and then we have corrective measures. And if all things have failed also there are still other measures like suspension as long as the child has not being convicted with crime,” said the Secretary.
The guideline is expected to provide framework for schools to review their school discipline policies and manage disciplinary issues professionally and consistently.
The intention of empowering schools to work effectively towards zero tolerance to indiscipline is to create a conducive learning environment for the school going children, according to the guidelines.
