The key to stopping Halifax's gun violence could be in education says the new African Nova Scotian representative of the Halifax Regional School Board.

"When you know better you do better," said Archy Beals. "I think it's an important piece in at least helping to solve the problem where you get people who are educated [and] they are looking at ways of providing for themselves and their families."

Beals was elected to the Halifax Regional School Board in October. His comments came after two homicides in Halifax in a week. There have been 11 homicides in Halifax so far in 2016.

Importance of education

"I think one of the things we need to do is let people know the importance of education ... to the scope of providing the education so that people can actually have meaningful employment where they're able to provide for themselves, looking at ways to make society well rounded for all," Beals said.

Beals's job outside the school board is working at the Nova Scotia Community College where he helps students looking to advance their education. He said Nova Scotia's public education system has come a long way, but that more needs to happen. He said he's an advocate for Afrocentrism, a cultural ideology that focuses on black history and community.

Afrocentricity explored

"[Afrocentricity] is more communal and not individualistic," Beals said. "If you provide the concept of Afrocentricity to students, they tend to think of the betterment of the community and not themselves."

"If it means that it happens in a school setting, so be it. But I think you don't need to be in a school setting to practice Afrocentricity but I think it's a good place for it to start."

Beals said as a school board member, he wants to help close the achievement gap for African Nova Scotian learners.