Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security and Peace, the Hon. Dr. Horace Chang, has underscored the value of the School Resource Officer (SRO) Programme and strategic investments in technology as critical components in creating safer learning environments and fostering positive behavioural change among Jamaica's youth.
During a tour of the Constant Spring Primary and Junior High School on Thursday, June 4, 2026, Minister Chang reiterated the need for sustained and active policing in schools and communities, noting that strong partnerships between law enforcement, educators, students and residents are essential to building safer communities and improving police-citizen relations.
"Children cannot focus on their studies if they feel unsafe at school. Which is why we have to maintain a strong police presence in our schools," Minister Chang said. "When children see the police in their schools and in their communities, they feel safer. The School Resource Officer Programme allows our officers to become mentors and positive role models while helping to build trust and confidence among students," he continued.
The School Resource Officer Programme forms part of the Government's broader violence prevention and community safety strategy, which seeks to safeguard supportive environments where students can learn, thrive, and achieve their full potential.
The Minister also highlighted the Ministry's continued investment in social intervention initiatives, particularly the Music, Sports, and Technology (MST) Programme.
Introduced in 2018, the programme targets at-risk youth in vulnerable communities by providing structured opportunities for engagement, skills development and personal growth through music, sports and technology.
The programme has been instrumental in steering young people towards positive activities while equipping them with practical skills that can improve their prospects. Some of the schools which have benefited from this programme through the donation of musical equipment and sporting gear are Old Harbour, Grange Hill and Irwin High Schools and Flankers Primary.
Further demonstrating the Ministry's commitment to youth development through technology, Minister Chang officially opened a newly retrofitted 20-seat computer laboratory at the New Roads Primary School in Westmoreland on May 29, 2026.
The facility is expected to enhance students' access to digital learning tools and strengthen their technological competencies in an increasingly digital world.
"The idea is to demonstrate that with technology we can reach students and provide teachers with the tools that help them connect with students, educate them, build them and develop our human resources," Minister Chang explained. "That is what we did for security, and we now want to see even greater integration of technology in education."
Minister Chang emphasised that investments in school safety, youth engagement programmes and technological infrastructure are key pillars of the Ministry's violence prevention strategy.
By combining security initiatives with educational and developmental opportunities, the Government is creating pathways for youth to succeed while contributing to safer and more resilient communities across Jamaica.
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