Security Breach at Hilda Skeene Primary School Prompts Calls for Enhanced Safety Measures in Barbados Schools

A security breach at Hilda Skeene Primary School on Wednesday has reignited calls for enhanced safety measures in schools.

The incident, which involved a parent’s threatening behaviour, led to the school’s early closure and police intervention. This comes just days after a stabbing at Alexandra School, despite the Ministry of Education announcing the introduction of tightened security measures at the nation’s public schools since last week’s beginning of term.

The security breach prompted the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) to reiterate its demand for a security guard to be stationed at every public school.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Education, a male parent entered the Ruby, St Philip compound unannounced, behaving in a manner that left teachers and students feeling threatened. Police were called in to contain the situation and the principal locked the gate to cut off access to the school. The school was closed early.

BUT President Rudy Lovell expressed dismay at the recurring incidents and urged the Ministry of Education to address the issue urgently.

“We want students to focus on what they are supposed to be focusing on, which is the business of learning,” Lovell told Barbados TODAY.

He revealed that the union had previously provided the ministry with a list of schools lacking security guards, and Hilda Skeene Primary was among them.

Approximately 20 out of 68 public primary schools currently do not have a dedicated security presence, according to the BUT which released a list.

“It’s unfortunate; we hope that we don’t have any more incidents going forward, given that this is the second academic week of school for students,” Lovell said. “So we implore the Ministry of Education to resolve the issue of security in schools. Just last week or the week before the BUT submitted a list of schools without security officers, mainly primary schools, and we are hopeful that these schools can be adequately manned with security personnel in short order.”

Among the other primary schools that the union said are without a security guard are: Workman’s; All Saints; Irving Wilson; Gordon Greenidge; St Silas; Hillaby Turner’s Hall; St Elizabeth; St Catherine, St Bernard’s, St Lawrence; Mount Tabor; Elliot Belgrave; Selah; St Lucy; Half Moon Fort; St Philip’s; Bayleys; Reynold Weekes; and St Judes.

On Monday, two 15-year-old boys got into a fight at Alexandra School, and one of the boys stabbed the other in his shoulder with a small knife.

The following day all students were subject to a search before entering the school compound. Principal David McCarthy said that going forward, the school would conduct random searches.

Last Monday, Minister of Education Kay McConney announced that the ministry was implementing tighter security at schools in light of the recent uptick in gun crime. She said security must be strengthened to prevent what was occurring in the wider society from making its way to the school gates.

The new measures include visitors showing their national identification cards to the guard, stating the purpose of visitation and signing in.

In its statement following the incident at Hilda Skeene Primary, the ministry reiterated that members of the public should not attempt to enter school compounds without prior notification.

“Appointments must be made, permissions granted, and identification presented to gain access to school compounds,” the ministry reminded. (SZB)