The Ministry of Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development is continuing to promote the use of positive discipline strategies in schools, three weeks after implementing a ban on corporal punishment within the entire school system in Saint Lucia.

Over the last few years the ministry has taken action in an attempt to increase the use of positive discipline strategies in schools, through the framework of the Child Friendly Schools Initiative. This was done by focusing on school wide positive behaviour management and support (SWPBM), which views the schools as a multi-dimensional system with diverse stakeholders.

Between 2014 to 2019, school principals as well as education officials on the island had some degree of exposure to positive discipline through sensitization exercises on the subject. Officials say the ministry is continuing to use opportunities for training and sensitizing all within the education system on the new approach in dealing with indiscipline in schools.

Positive Behavior Management and Support and Monitoring and Evaluation training was held for all district counsellors and school counsellors, building their capacity to develop behavior improvement plans and to understand Functional Behavior Assessment. This better enables them to provide support to teachers and principals in addressing discipline issues by implementing positive behavior support programmes.

School security personnel, who recently undertook training through the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force on improving the strategies to secure school compounds, also received training in dealing with bad behavior from students.

Bus drivers were also sensitized, through two sessions conducted on positive discipline and to help design strategies to assist them with managing behavior on the bus when transporting school children.

Education officials say in order for discipline to be maintained, all stakeholders must play a part in implementing and supporting strategies which promote a positive school climate and which teach children how to behave and provide structures to help them engage in desired behaviours.