The Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) is calling on education authorities to ramp up security at schools ahead of the September 19 start of classes, amid concern about the possibility of gunplay reaching the island’s educational institutions.BUT president Rudy Lovell said in a statement that while the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on the teaching and learning process remain foremost in educators’ minds, the union is worried about the recent spike in gun crime in society and how that might make its way into schools.He noted that some primary schools are without security guards, which leaves students and teachers exposed if the violence should reach school compounds.“There have been instances reported by members and even on record in the media of violent crimes perpetrated in close proximity to schools. It is against this backdrop that we urge those in authority to be proactive and not wait until something happens to respond to this issue,” Lovell said.
