Soon primary school students will be empowered to help solve disputes between their warring classmates.

For over 250 Government primary school teachers attended a seminar at the Southampton Princess this week where they were prepared to train students in peer mediation.

And the move means Bermuda is the only country that has adopted the programme throughout all primary schools.

Six primary schools have used the programme already and "have seen a marked decrease in violence and a marked improvement in the school climate'' said Coalition for the Protection of Children chairperson Sheelagh Cooper whose group financed and organised the seminar.

She said the response to the course had been "fabulous'' and added that there were schools at higher levels also using the programme.

Ms Cooper said peer mediation had seven primary goals which were: to resolve peer disputes that interfere with the education process; to build a stronger sense of cooperation and school community; to improve the school environment by decreasing tension and hostility; to increase student participation and develop leadership skills; to develop communication, critical thinking and practical life skills; to improve student to student and teacher to student relationships; and to build self esteem.

Mediation uses a neutral third party to resolve disputes and the programme prepares students to act as that third party or mediator.

The final goal is not to determine guilt or innocence but to work out differences constructively.

And student mediators are used because children understand and trust other children who do not represent authority and are therefore not threatening.

The importance of confidentiality is also stressed because it is important that the student body trusts the mediators.

The mediators themselves are chosen from students who possess people skills, leadership potential, respect of peers or ability to gain respect, good verbal skills, good listening skills, willingness to stay with programme for the school year and the ability to honour confidentiality.

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