The NLTA says school violence continues to trend upwards and government needs to start addressing the issue in meaningful ways.

Union President Trent Langdon says predictions they made eight months ago about a continued escalation in school violence have been borne-out by the latest figures acquired through Access to Information.

Gleaned from a number of sources, the NLTA says the total number of reported violent or aggressive incidents rose from 3,659 in 2018-19 to 4,052 in the last school year.

Langdon says it’s clear that some of the criminal activity and violence seen in the wider community is making its way into the school system and it’s time to take the issue seriously.

“All you got to do is look at the evening news or listen to Open Line or VOCM, and very quickly we’re seeing a society where there’s weapons seizures, there’s increased break and enters. I think we’re pretty blind if we think that those types of things don’t find their way into the school system.”