Instil good behaviour in schools

The National Editorial

INSTILLING good behaviour and its management is a very big issue in all schools in the country.
The policy sets out the operational behaviour management responsibilities of teachers, school boards, students, parents, education officers and other stake holders.
The Education Department says all schools in the country should have the revised copy of the behaviour management policy for the national education system.
This challenge is not only for the Education Department, but all stakeholders.
Bullying, sexual activity, possession of pornography, possession of guns, drugs and alcohol consumption, cult or generation name activity and inter-school fights are ongoing problems in schools.
Corrective measures for these behaviours differ from school to school and their appropriateness in mitigating the wrong caused also vary.
Different settings and socio-economic conditions under which children are brought up or where they are attending schools and peer pressure provide amble fuel for errant behaviour.
This has given rise to the need for serious, uniform and approved behaviour management to be applied in schools.
In response, the Education Department produced a behaviour management policy in 2009.
Since 2018, officers from policy and planning, inspections and guidance and counselling divisions have been meeting with student representatives, teachers, parents, school counsellors, school’s administrations and mainline churches who run schools to review and redevelop the policy. A revised behaviour management policy for the national education system in Papua New Guinea was published in Oct 2019 “Improving student behaviour and welfare”.
The policy sets out the operational behaviour management responsibilities of teachers, schools boards, students, parents, education officers and other stake holders.
The aim of the policy is to help schools at all levels to:

  • PROMOTE and improve positive student behaviour though the collaborative efforts of students, teachers, principals, head teachers, parents and guardians, school boards and other stakeholders;
  • HELP stakeholders to understand and exercise their rights and responsibilities in managing students behaviour;
  • HELP create a fair, caring and safe learning environment for students and teachers; and,
  • HELP and support Wash in school activities.

Behaviour management is an outcome aimed at in the national education plan.
The policy charges different players and stakeholders within the education system with specific responsibilities.
Students are charged with the responsibility to behave well, respect others and follow school rules.
They are to take responsibility for their own behaviours, learn from negative experiences quickly, say “no” to risky or illegal behaviours, respect the learning and rights of others and contribute generally to the school code of conduct and developing of the school behaviour management policy.
Parents and guardians, likewise, are urged by the policy to raise their children in safe, healthy and caring homes, to instill and build a foundation for good behaviour, and support education and behaviour management in schools.
Communities are urged to build safe and healthy environments for children and support education and behaviour management efforts of schools, parents and students.
Schools, the Education Department, the national and provincial education boards, the guidance and counselling division and all other stakeholders have specific roles and responsibilities spelt out for them.