It is not unusual to see policemen searching the schoolbags of students while on their way to school and removing all sorts of weapons and implements.

A Jamaican man has raised concerns that some high-school students have been using knives to inflict injuries on other students and sometimes adults.

According to the man, he witnessed a fight recently between two schoolboys which could have ended in loss of life if some adults did not intervene.

He said last month he saw a small group of students making a lot of noise and when he went to investigate he saw two high-school boys in a fight.

"One of the boys shouted to one of his friends to bring his schoolbag and the friend obeyed, " the man said.

large knife

"When he got the bag, he opened it and took out a large knife. He was about to stab the other boy when two adults who were standing behind him held on to him. It was quite a struggle for the adult men to overpower the youth to take away the knife. Luckily for him and for the other fellow, the men managed to take away the knife.

"Every time I think about the incident, I just imagine how one boy could be dead and the other taken to jail.

"Some children are not aware of the great sacrifice their parents make to send them to school and they, in turn, should have aims and goals to improve their situation in life by getting a good education. But many of them, and that includes girls, have no interest in having good manners and studying their lessons. Some of them are only interested in showing how rude and indisciplined they can be. It is sometimes shocking to see the knives and other implements the police take away from schoolchildren," he said.

The man said he was making a special appeal to parents to ensure that they search their children's schoolbags regularly, because that could prevent a lot of heartaches to many families. He said it was not only the teachers and the police who must ensure that the children are disciplined, but parents must play their role in moulding the lives of their children.

There are several cases involving high-school students who are brought before the court for committing offences and some have been found guilty and punished. It is an offence for students to carry weapons in their schoolbags and they can be charged with being in possession of an offensive weapon.