The much-talked about time-out facility will be in operation at the beginning of the next school year in September, according to Alphansus Davis, senior adviser to the minister of education, Andrew Holness.

Davis made the announcement at a meeting of principals, deans of discipline and chairmen of school boards in Region Six at the Portmore Heart Academy, Portmore, last Thursday.

He said the facility, which will have behavioural change as its main objective, will be located at Diamond Crest in Alligator Pond, St Elizabeth. It is currently being used on a temporary basis to house inmates from the Armadale Juvenile Correctional Centre, which had to be relocated because of a recent fire.

students' behaviour

He explained that the institution will cater to the educational and social needs of students whose behaviour has reached the point where the schools' only option is to expel them. He said that as such they would have gone through interventions like class time out, suspension from school and community service. The period of stay for the students at the facility will be up to one year.

The Diamond Crest facility will boast a curriculum including behaviour management skills, academic and vocational skills, fitness and wellness, community service and continuing education.

It will be managed and staffed by a board (of management), a principal and vice-principal, two guidance counsellors, five teachers and a group of ancillary workers.

Davis stressed that the institution wil not be one of regiment or punishment, but one to separate students, for a while, from their regular school in order to facilitate behavioural change.

"The message will be: Look, we need to work this thing out," Davis said.

- Elgin Taylor