Last year in Ammanford, Wales, a school playground was turned into chaos when a 14-year-old girl stabbed two teachers and a pupil. The incident occurred at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, and the girl has recently been found guilty of attempted murder as she previously confessed to having a knife at the school and stabbing three people. The identity of the teenager remains anonymous due to her age, and her conviction sparked concern about the behaviour of students in Welsh schools, including the frequency of blades found on school premises.
Her actions left the community shaken, with parents struggling to contact their children and rumours circulating about the incident. For many pupils, parents and teachers, it was a day they will never forget. It resulted in a four-hour lockdown and has spurred some local authorities to investigate incidents involving weapons across the country. A Freedom of Information request by BBC Wales suggested that in the past five academic years, the youngest children with knives were just six or seven in Year 2. Shockingly, blades have been found on school premises across Wales with some students having been said to use them for self-harm.
Teachers’ unions have voiced concerns that bad behaviour and violence among students are becoming increasingly common in Welsh schools. Ioan Rhys Jones, the secretary-general of UCAC, suggested that schools might need to implement extra security measures such as screening, but he questioned who would take responsibility for such measures. Adam Price, a former student of Ysgol Dyffryn Aman and Plaid Cymru Senedd member, has called for a full-scale independent national review of school safety, which is currently being considered by the Welsh government.
The Welsh government’s response to the issue is adamant: any form of violence or abuse against school personnel is completely unacceptable. The education system may expel pupils in possession of weapons permanently on the spot. The cabinet secretary has branded the case “incredibly serious” and has announced the Spring National Behaviour Summit where he will discuss issues around safety in schools
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
