Firm in the stance of zero tolerance on the use and appearance of ‘scratch bombs’ in the nation’s schools, Minister of Education Anthony Garcia, Chief Education Officer Harrilal Seecharan and other officials of the Ministry of Education met with the principal, four (4) students and their parents of the Chaguanas North Secondary School, who have all been suspended for scratch bomb related infractions, along with the principal of the Barataria South Secondary School, the school in which a teacher was assaulted relating to the incendiary devices.
During the meeting held at the Ministry’s Head Office this morning, the conversation was steered to understand the reasons for the students bringing these explosives to school and blatantly ignoring the numerous calls highlighting the dangers and prohibition of the explosives. Minister Garcia made a request of the Chaguanas North principal to prepare and submit requests for extended suspension of all four (4) students for his consideration. The meeting revealed that there was intervention to be done by the Student Support Services Division as there were some social challenges that were causing the students, ranging from forms 1-5, to behave in the way that they did.
Absent from the meeting was the student of the Barataria South Secondary School who is currently on extended suspension and under the charge of the Student Support Services Division. A subsequent meeting is to be held and a final decision taken on what happens next with the individual. The Minister during the dialogue reiterated the role of parents in ensuring that students adhere to school rules that are established for their own personal safety.
Both principals highlighted their augmented school safety plans and will be working closely with the School Supervision Division to ensure that their schools return to the usual state of normalcy.