A full-scale investigation has been mounted after trouble erupted between a teacher and students at St. George's Secondary School.

Police were called out to restore order as a classroom of pupils surrounded the teacher.

It is believed the flare-up occurred after at least one blow was exchanged between the male teacher and a student.

"It was a near riot,'' one source told The Royal Gazette .

Yesterday Chief Education Officer Mr. Dean Furbert announced a full probe had been launched by his department.

It comes amid concern over rising violence at schools, sometimes involving rival gangs.

The Royal Gazette can reveal: Parents and teachers are now considering approving random searches of schoolchildren for knives and other weapons; and A final "code of discipline'' at schools is being drawn up and is to be presented to principals and parents shortly.

Yesterday Education Minister the Hon. Clarence Terceira said he had no knowledge of Thursday's St. George's Secondary School incident.

But he was aware about escalating violence.

"I have been meeting with principals of schools to get a first hand idea about what is going on, and how we can tackle it.

"We are looking at a few ideas but I don't want to say what they are at this stage.'' Sources yesterday told The Royal Gazette the incident had involved up to 15 students.

Police were called out at about 3 p.m.

"We attended but the school did not want us to carry out any investigation,'' said Police spokeswoman Insp. Roseanda Jones.

Mr. Furbert said: "We are aware that there was an incident at St. George's Secondary and it is being investigated by the Department of Education.'' He poured cold water on reports a group of students had attacked the teacher.

It was his understanding a teacher had struck a student, and other pupils then gathered around.

"Police were involved. They were called by the school authorities to restore order.'' He added: "Obviously we have to wait until the investigation is complete to find out exactly what happened.'' Mr. Furbert said he was aware of concern about rising violence.

"It is increasing throughout the community.'' St. George's Secondary school heads declined to comment.

The school's public relations officer, Mr. Ross Smith, also national president of the Parent Teachers' Association, confined himself to general comments on violence.

"The Bermuda National PTA is aware of a need for greater security and awareness of violence in schools to the extent that non-students are getting on these properties during regular hours and are vandalising and selling drugs.'' Mr. Smith called for school boundaries to be put in place.

He said too many children nowadays did not view schools as places to be "cherished, honoured, and respected.'' Frustrated by events at home and in the community, they were resorting to violence.

"The community needs to come together to solve the problems,'' said Mr.

Smith.

"It is every person's problem, whether they have a child in school or not.

All of us will be impacted upon.'' Mr. Smith feared the new Westgate Correctional Facility may not be big enough for the future prison population, unless Bermuda got to grips with violence.

He also spoke of the belief some schools were becoming dumping grounds for "unwanted students.'' These schools were not getting sufficient resources to help them overcome their difficulties, he said.

The problem of school violence was raised in the House of Assembly on Wednesday.

Shadow Education Minister Ms Jennifer Smith said stress lay behind many outbreaks of trouble.

She said society should not condemn students or remove them from schools.

Instead, schools should provide experts who could offer social and psychological help -- something Mr. Smith backed.

Earlier this year, Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan stirred controversy by suggesting the birch as a means of tackling violence among the young.