Education ministry opens 'Time Out' facilities for students with behavioural problems

The Ministry of Education has established two ‘Time Out’ facilities to assist in the rehabilitation of students who exhibit behavioural problems.

The centres were opened this month at Alpha Boys’ School in Kingston and the St John Boscoe Boys’ Home in Mandeville, Manchester.

Chief Education Officer in the Ministry Dr Grace McLean has indicated that 12 other facilities are to be opened across the island.

She was speaking to leaders and educators of independent and private institutions on the new National Standards Curriculum (NSC) and the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) at a sensitisation session on Wednesday at Jamaica College in St Andrew.

“These are facilities that will support the children by providing psychosocial, psychological and psychiatric support that is required to ensure that they can be fully rehabilitated and go back to join their peers. What our time-out facilities/retreat centres do is allow them to go through a process of rehabilitation,” she explained.

The facilities are part of several measures being implemented by the ministry to treat with the needs of students.

McLean noted that one of the measures in the rehabilitation process is the ministry’s ‘K-13’ strategy, which provides opportunities for all students to participate and learn.

The ‘K-13’ strategy seeks to ensure that the education system reaches every child from conception to age 18 to facilitate proper stimulation and engagement.

Additionally, she said the ministry will be working with schools to involve them in the rehabilitation of these children.

“We are currently working through the process that the teachers and the principals are using so that the process aligns with the ministry’s strategy of providing equal opportunity and equity for every single child,” she said.

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