There are several factors which are directly or indirectly responsible for violence among youngsters at school. One main reason is family problems. The youngsters are already in a critical period of adolescence. The stressful factors make them vulnerable and they just can?t handle the situation. They cannot deal with conflicts and when they are provoked they use violence to cope with the situation.

Uncertainty is also a cause. At such a stage of their lives, many adolescents have not established their personality. Using force is a way of showing one?s strength. In situations where the youngster can?t assert himself verbally, he?ll use physical strength to make that assertion.

Competition also enters the game. Competition in terms of asserting their superiority or physical strength, but also in terms of having a girlfriend or a boyfriend! Often, the humiliation faced by the youngsters is unacceptable to them and there is also the aspect of revenge, which explains violent behaviour at school.

Bullying is another frequent cause. The more powerful ones use violence against the weak ones to display their superiority. Where the number of powerful ones increases, there is the creation of gangs, which often leads to more conflicts. Peer pressure aggravates the situation as joining a group also means accepting and adopting the collective behaviours of the group which assert its identity.

?Education in Mauritius is too academic. It?s not complete. It certainly has its positive aspects but also its negative impacts. Our society has undergone much change in such a little time space that we have not had enough time to adjust to the changes. With the new demands and working hours of the labour market, many children are left without any proper surveillance and thus, are more prone to delinquency. This has also contributed to the rise of crime in our society. There is a lack of support for these youngsters?, says Vikash Baichoo, psychologist.

Indeed, in order to cope with the situation, we need to include non-academic modules in the education system. Subjects such as art, music, dance, self-defense sports, sex education and life skills management need to be included. More psychologists need to be recruited by the Ministry of Education and Human Resources so that each school can offer help to pupils who need it. In this way, youngsters with violent behaviour can have immediate help to find out the source of their problem so as to avoid an aggravation of their situation.

<B>Back on track</B>

Vijay Dhunnpat, a primary teacher, is already taking certain actions to bring about a change. Along with some friends of his, he has started to give free classes on human values and morality to children of both primary and secondary schools at weekends. ?We are trying to motivate students and to put them back on track while making them reflect on society and how to adopt a proper behaviour. We are trying to help them to become good individuals for tomorrow for the sake of having a better society?, says Vijay Dhunnpat.

Our society today is producing youngsters and young adults who have been conditioned to score the highest marks in all fields but on the other hand, misbehaviour, violence, delinquency, crime and especially white collar crime and cyber crime are also becoming characteristics of this new generation. We must really make a change by starting to re-inculcate moral values at all the levels of the education system! The educational package needs to include these non-academic aspects so as to provide what is lacking in the system.

<B>Bilkiss JAFFARALLI</B>