Shania Shayal Prasad 
The Ministry of Education is exploring methods of utilizing culture and native languages to address drug-related concerns within schools and mitigate instances of violent and aggressive behavior among students.
Selina Kuruleca, the Permanent Secretary, says that discussions are in progress to collaborate with faith-based organizations and reintroduce chaplaincy programs in schools.
Kuruleca holds the view that past strategies have yielded unsatisfactory results. Consequently, they are shifting towards a sociological approach to better engage with students.
She adds that the Education Ministry is exploring what benefits religious institutions will bring.
“Not only the Christian schools, but also our other faith-based schools what can they bring? How can we support whether it’s going to be a chaplain or whether it’s going to be a father or a brother if it’s a Catholic school? So all of that needs to be figured out.”
Kuruleca adds that they will also have to consider the cost-sharing aspect of this partnership.
“Some faith-based schools also have a school chaplain or school counsellor. So we’re going to look at how we’re going to partner and how we’re going to cost share to be able to do that, like full-time. Talatala and the school counselor, or what’s it going to look like?”
The Ministry further mentions that they are consistently engaging in discussions and consultations to progress with this concept.
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