Education Minister Advocates for Gang Members’ Reintegration Into Schools
Education Minister Daryll Matthew has announced that the government is working to reintegrate former gang members into schools.
His remarks came during a parliamentary debate on the Anti-Gang Bill 2024, where he highlighted the crucial role education plays in helping young people escape the cycle of crime. CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHATS APP GROUP
Minister Matthew speaking on the need for intervention, explaining that many of the youths involved in gangs were not inherently criminals but were often forced into that life due to fear and lack of alternatives.
“A lot of those youngsters involved in Gang Related activity don’t want to be in gangs,” Matthew stated. “We need to ask why they got caught up in this activity and how education can provide a way out.”
The Minister revealed that many gang members expressed a strong desire to return to school during recent discussions with the government.
According to Matthew, some of these young men dropped out of school not because of poor academic performance, but due to fears of retaliation and violence from rival gangs.
“They’ve joined gangs for protection, not because they want to commit crimes,” he explained. “They were afraid to go to school and face reprisals.”
As part of the government’s strategy to help these young individuals reintegrate into society, Matthew confirmed that efforts are underway to place members of both major gangs into educational institutions.
“We are working to facilitate their return to school because they deserve a second chance,” he said.
It was revealed later in the parliamentary debate that man of them will be place at the Antigua and Barbuda Institute of Continuing Education (ABICE).
The Minister commended the leadership of Prime Minister Gaston Browne for taking the initiative to meet with gang members personally, a move that has gained attention across the Caribbean. “The Prime Minister took the time to sit down with them, listen to their concerns, and offer them a way out. That level of leadership matters,” Matthew emphasized.
He also noted that the discussions with gang members revealed deep-rooted issues that go beyond criminal behavior, including feelings of isolation and limited opportunities. Many of the youths indicated that they could not even enjoy simple activities, like going to the cinema or downtown St. John’s, due to fear of rival gangs. This, Matthew argued, highlights the urgent need for educational and social interventions to prevent young people from being drawn into gangs in the first place.
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The Minister’s call to action reflects the broader goals of the Anti-Gang Bill, which seeks to create not only a punitive framework for dealing with gang-related offenses but also pathways for rehabilitation and reintegration. “It’s not enough to criminalize these young people,” he stated. “We have to provide them with alternatives, and education is one of the most powerful tools we have to do that.”
While the reintegration plan has been met with support from various sectors, it also raises important questions about the safety of schools and how they will accommodate former gang members without disrupting the learning environment for others. Matthew acknowledged these concerns, praising the efforts of teachers and administrators who have already been addressing gang-related issues in schools, and vowed that the government would work closely with educational institutions to ensure a smooth transition.
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I’m with this 1000% everyone should be giving a second chance
Nice
Excellent Job
Let them corrupt the entire school system.
A wonder which one of them came up with this brilliant idea.
“I know they won’t be sending them to private school, so a government school system they going into.
The people who make these decisions
(1) Police guard them at their homes.
So they don’t have the same fear that we do.
(2) Their children attend private schools.
Just saying…….
Stop using the word gang. Pretenders more like it! and are they not scared of going to school anymore?
What about the girl that died?
Whilst I firmly believe that school age gangsters have a right to an education like every other children, I would be very worried if such gangsters are reintegrated into our schools alongside our other kids without the requisite longterm counseling and support. Gang affiliation is not something that members leave behind that easy, even in spite of their meetings with the Hon Prime Minister and the commitment given to him. It is quite likely that they might take the gang mentality with them as they reenter the school compound and create a new set of mess within the schools that they attend. The decision to reintegrate them back into the school system can open up a whole new can of worms for the entire school population. I respectfully suggest that the Ministry of Education and the schools thread lightly with this. These so called gangsters should undergo at least a 2 to 3 month period of orientation’, direction and assimilation before reentering the school system
Where are the principals of these schools and teachers union, no consultations.
Why dont they provide separate educational provision so as not to disrupt other students?
These clowns are out of ideas. Who the hell did they consult before this very bad,idea?
Imagine a student,introduced to teachers and students as a former gang member? Or will this be a well kept secret?No psychological evaluation, no assessment before reintegration? The idiot DAWG is behind this you can be sure.
Dumb and dumber.
They need JESUS..these children need Godly counselling. Papa San have a song that say u take a man n put him on the hill revenge them a carry out still.it take a renewing of the mind…What it really means u can’t change a person or persons. By taking them from the valley and put them on the hill n believe that will change them.yes they deserve another chance but with propper Godly counselling n guidance from the police.n regular check up.
They need really love.i pray all of them find a BIBLE believing church n seriously give their lives to GOD only Him make difference.
And everything is in place for making sure that these members of gangs will not cause any disruption or influence their peers right? The concern is, are the authorities, the Minister of Education, Principles and teachers of schools aware of acts or crimes committed by all these members going back to school which is their right? Are these members going back being evaluated by specialists in the field and receiving counseling, support and follow-ups to assist them in whatever they need and took them to participate in gangs? Or all this is being politically ignored and dismissed without the proper measures in place. Yes, they are part of our society, they are our children and youths. But yes, they also need support, help, guidance and the opportunity to become good students and better citizens. I hope the Minister can address all this and inform on the programmes in place. Thanks.
@ Audley Phillip – You are 💯% correct. I hope they read you and listen. This is not a band-aid solution or a slap on the wrist matter. This is our children, teenagers and youths matter.
why should anyone listen to him? HE has ZERO CREDIBILITY!!!! He is the author of a bogus fake article spreading propaganda about our beautiful country…..talking about Venezuelan airplane. You think he nice??
https://antiguanewsroom.com/foreign-minister-refutes-venezuelan-aircraft-visits-claims/
https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/news/general/antiguan-man-says-former-pageant-contestant-defrauding-him-of-over-20000/
so……..um…..er……even gang members can be RE-INTEGRATED, but the UPP is DISINTEGRATING??? wow!
The success rate among gangs is higher than among the Elitist political party that was against the UWI Five Islands Campus? wow!