This is unacceptable with school children on the streets after 9am when at this time prayers for the day in session. This is 2011 and by now there should have been a system in place to stamp out this kind of behavior. Special officers appointed for this trend I thought were long in place, there is no excuse that each day so many students on the streets of Barbados during the hours of 8:45 and 2:30pm as some schools end around these times. If we as adults send a strong message to these late arrivers then they will either adhere to the rules or face severe punishment for their actions. If we do not get certain programs in place for the changes that are taking place like the use of the internet and other media information out there we will eventually have a crises on our hands. Our youth are developing faster as we think and therefore as adults we must be always one step further to meet these challenges, the department of education must find a solution before it’s too late.

In my early days, as young person you showed respect not only to the elders, but also to your peers. For the most part, I am sure readers would concur. Case in point, a few years back while travelling from Bathsheba on public transport, I was astounded and ashamed to hear the swearing coming from one or two of the young people in school uniforms with no regard to other passengers.

I asked them in no uncertain terms to refrain from their smut language and to show respect to others on the bus. Fortunately, it stopped after my blunt remarks.

It is about time that some major focus on this problem be made for the purpose of bringing back some lost civility and respect to the bajan culture.

Dear sir(s)
as a regular visitor to Barbados I feel that I must point out that the vast majority of school children(various age groups) thatI have seen,on many many occasions are indeed the most well behaved bunch of kids and a credit to their school. If you could see the appalling behaviour of school children in Britain,on buses and in shops,you would soon realise that it is a very tiny percentage that are responsible,Barbados has disipline and standards that are sadly lacking here in the UK,in general you should be proud of your children.

To whom this may concern:

Barbados is NOT a first world country and we do not want the problems of first world countries. If bad behaviour is rampant in Britain, we certainly are not about to compare ourselves to that! Why on earth would Barbados want to bring down itself to that level??!! NONSENSE.

@Mel Mapp-you are 1 in 1000 in this country and I applaud you.The public has to be involved but they are afraid of the children and their parents.
Back in the day,we respected our parents and our teachers because they commanded that respect.They set the example and instilled values and discipline.
Note I did not talk about “beating” because there is a core of ignorant “experts” in our society who spew nonsense about corporal punishment and child abuse as soon as that word “discipline” is mentioned. As if the terms are synonymous.
Today some parents want to be at the bashment level with their children-some teachers do not understand their role in the classroom and some principals lack that vital stamp of leadership and authority.And many so-called elders aid and abet through silence.
We need stern measures like boot camps and paramilitary programs for the minority of delinquents who refuse to conform to normal school programs and social standards.
Take them out of the schools where they disrupt the majority of positive children who are achieving good things.They are the ones who deserve the resources and the recognition.

What has become of the School Attendance Officers? Previously they patrolled the bus terminals with the assistance of Police Officers (if/when necessary) in an effort to resolve this loitering problem. Then they checked in with the schools, again to resolve the problem of absenteeism.

Dear Ms Forde,please before you comment,make sure that you just don’t read the words but that you have the mentality to understand them ! Barbados is not a “first world country” well you are so bright,however you missed the whole point of the response,and i do not feel the need to educate you at this point in time,read the facts,learn the truth and maybe one day you will visit somewhere bigger than Barbados,then you may understand what i am saying. (i hope and pray).

Dear Pan,yeah we too had what we call “truant/behaviour officers” however with all the cut backs in the recession,we had to abolish them too,i do agree with you that this has had a detrimental effect in the UK,and i guess that Barbados is experiencing this also,however i still insist that the vast majority of kids in Barbados are indeed a credit to the Island.

@ Ron Coulbourne: You have certainly added and interpreted by blog differently. My comment was meant simply to imply that the Min of Education has a greater role to play. I notice that you mentioned your visits, perhaps they are not long enough to grasp alot. While I agree with you that the real bad eggs are in the minority, we are also cognisant of the fact that it is a progressive problem which we need to be rid off now.  This is obviously part of the price of progress and requires a holistic approach.  What bothers me apart from the role of School Attendance Officer, is the lack of responsibility of some parents for the children they gave birth too.  Instead of making unfortunate statements, The Education Minister must table some responsible legistation through Parliament. Those pitiful fines are not working. How about stiffer fines and weekend incarceration for some parents and children found loitering and misbehaving in public places. Yes I said that. We have to jumpstart some people - take away the party time. Trust me and watch it work.