Schools set to create behaviour policy

 THE Education Department has tasked all lower level schools in the country to formulate their own behaviour management policies for their students. 

In Morobe, a Lae city primary school and its three feeder elementary schools met in the past week to formulate theirs with an in-service involving the wider community.

Deputy head mistress of Butibum Primary School, Catherin Tobem said yesterday there were more than 50 participants, including stakeholders from the community such as parents’ representatives, churches, government officials and women’s groups.

“For an effective behaviour management policy to be formulated, it would take an integral approach and we are embarking on that,” Tobem, the in-service coordinator, said. She said the policy was crucial for the early learning stage because teachers were challenged by a drastic behavioural change in children today. 

“As you can see today, it has become quite impossible to keep our school focused because of so many distractions like digital movies and games, easy access to internet, mobile phones, and the list goes on,” she said.

“We need to have a policy to change their mindsets and create a positive learning attitude in their young minds.”

“But that is not all. We must instil in them the desire to excel in the academic field with the aim of becoming successful people and productive citizens.

“It starts here at the elementary, to the primary and carries forward.”