IMMEDIATE PAST President of the Association of Public Primary School Principals, David Catlyn, is calling for a solution to the issues facing the education system today.

Indiscipline in schools, a proper transportation system, and the need to have a better reading programme were some of the matters he identified.

He told the MIDWEEK NATION in a recent telephone interview it was time for both the policymakers and technocrats to work together to deal with indiscipline.

"What is unfortunate up to this point in time neither the technocrats not the policymakers, in my judgement, have grasped the opportunity to pull it together so something is wrong."

Catlyn listed drugs, movies with profanity and overt sexuality, violence, "gangster rap music and dress" and the minibus culture as some of the matters that needed urgent attention.

The principal of Bayley's Primary School is also calling for a better bus service, one that would get students to school on time, by 8:30 a.m.

"You must transport your children, in my judgement, in an environment that is conducive to good behaviour. Children shouldn't be strolling into school at 10 and 11 o'clock, without good reason.

"You must have a bus service that would get children to school on time and move them off the streets on time so that you would reduce a lot of the lawlessness that exists," Catlyn said.

Some parents, he added, drove to school their children late.

"Some would tell you they got up late. All students must be punctual. There will be exceptions – health problem or emergencies – but you can't have children walking in school at all hours."

He noted that if the society was to be a disciplined one, there were certain factors that had to come into play.

He said that school uniforms, for example, must be worn correctly at all times, adding that "a lot of the indiscipline starts with dressing", like girls wearing tight uniforms and miniskirts and boys wearing their pants below or way down their buttocks. (DS)