Administrators and teachers in at least two schools are extremely concerned about a trend where students are sneaking liquor on to the compound and are sometimes even drunk in classes.
Information reaching THE WEEKEND STAR is that the students are hiding the alcohol in extraordinary ways such as in energy drinks bottles.
Reports surfacing have also indicated that the students, mainly males, even put alcohol in female students' beverages without their knowledge.
It is reported that the students sometimes behave in lewd activities after drinking and become a living nightmare for some informed teachers.
" I was at an event at the school one time when I saw a group of students between grades seven to nine with some of those energy drink bottles and when checks were made, it was raw rum in the bottles. Sometimes these kids are totally drunk and it's not that these things are not reported, they are just not followed up. Sometimes these students purchase the alcohol and sometimes they steal it from home," a teacher said.
According to another source who requested anonymity, "the teachers are concerned, the parents are concerned and this is a matter that needs to be looked into carefully. Sometimes the teachers cannot talk to these male students because they are drunk and something simple like a fight between two students is triggered and the teacher doesn't even know what starts the fight because these students are tipsy."
When contacted, the principal from one of the high schools where the practice is taking place said that she is not aware of the practice. "I am not swearing for any of the students. However, we do searches, we might not be able to search everybody but we search for weapons, alcohol and our guards are very vigilant."
more alert
The principal further added, "there is no manifestation of students being drunk at school. Our students mainly purchase box juices, they don't really purchase plastic drinks but we will ensure we are more alert."
However, a member of the school community told us yesterday "... a lot of the male students that go to that school are gangsters. I personally notice that they are consuming and buying alcohol and they even buy weed too, not to mention how they dress. These nowadays kids dress like a dance dem ago and di girls dem go a school fi look man."
In the meantime, when THE WEEKEND STAR contacted the Ministry of Education's public relations officer, Colin Blair, he also said: "we are not aware of these practices, however, we will be investigating the issue depending on what the investigation find."
Contact was also made with president of the Jamaica Association of Guidance Counsellors of Education, Dr Grace Kelly, who told us, " I have not got any report that this is happening. I am aware of unscrupulous persons trying to feed students substances such as drugs; but I am appealing to these persons to stop abusing our children and give them a chance to enjoy their lives."
Kelly further stated that if, however, these students are using drug and alcohol, they should desist from doing so because this can affect their development.
Now these kids that some aren't even 15years old as yet are going to school drunk!!! Do they really think that them drinking at such a young age and getting drunk is a good thing...Dem lucky seh dem nuh ave all my mada as a parent when shi dun wid dem, dem woulda neva want fi drink agen.....
