ON TUESDAY, WE were given a reminder that violence in schools remains a constant problem when it was alleged that a 14-year-old boy stabbed and hospitalised a 13-year-old.
According to the story in Tuesday's STAR, the 13-year-old boy was stabbed in the back while at school after he allegedly informed the parents of the accused about his behaviour.
Based on the story, it seems as if some of our youngsters see schools not as a place to learn, but as a war ground or some-where to perfect their skills in 'thuggery'.
Although many of us will be quick to chastise the Ministry of Education over their failure to make our schools more secure, THE STAR believes that security ultimately rests with both the students and their parents. If a child believes taking a weapon to school is right, then he will continue to take it to school. In fact, he will find ways and means of doing so even if his teachers conduct snap searches of his bag.
There is however some encour-agement in this latest story about school violence. The fact that the boy's parents turned him over to the police is an indication that they want to see justice done. But, let us hope that at the end of this experience if the child is found guilty he will learn that weapons have no place in school and that violence carries a cruel punishment.
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