Mondiai: Remand bad for students

LAE metropolitan commander Supt Nema Mondiai does not believe police should be involved in stopping fights between
rival students.
He made the comment after a string of fights between rival primary and secondary schools students that resulted in a number of male students being rounded up, arrested and held in custody.
In most cases, the school administrations could not handle the violence and police had to be called in.
That resulted in some students being manhandled by police officers.
Mondiai said police were still carrying out awareness in schools but that would not help in curbing fights.
He called for a concerted effort by parents, the Education Department and other stakeholders.
“I don’t think the police are the answer every time students are fighting, we should not lock them up as it may change their mind-set and affect them as they may be stereotyped and viewed negatively by others,” he said.
“We should deal with the problem at the school level, with parental care and approach and tell them that what they are doing is not good, there has to be a lot of campaigning,” Mondiai said.
“I feel sorry for the parents who are the losers.”
He said there were many reasons why students in different schools fought among themselves. They included: 
l    The student’s upbringing;
l    Student groupings, especially by male students; and
l    Academic jealousy by students from different schools.
“A child’s upbringing at home reflects his behaviour in school, a child from a stable home behaves well in school and appreciates the sacrifices made by parents,” he said.
“Being part of a student group influences the atmosphere in schools as the members have a common aim, while in academic jealousy students from another school attack another school to destabilise other students and schools that are performing well,” he said.