With two different groups of students engaging in physical altercations in the streets of Port of Spain and El Dorado that have started making the round on Social Media, Minister of Education the Honourable Anthony Garcia expresses his severe disappointment and reaffirmation of a zero tolerance policy on such acts. The Ministry has noted that with the School Safety Plans that have been instituted in schools across the country, instances of student fights have migrated to the streets. Minister Garcia pointed that “The same way in which students are able to respect the rules of the school, they must also respect the laws of Trinidad and Tobago. Fighting in the streets, especially when clad in school uniform, is unacceptable. Principals of all schools involved in the recorded incidents have been asked to submit written reports that identify the individuals involved and the appropriate course of action will be subsequently taken.”
The Ministry of Education, through the consistent training of principals and teachers, and implementation of the School Based Management System has been able to reduce the instances of indiscipline on school premises. The Ministry has already engaged in conversation with the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service for support in managing students on the street and mitigating behaviours such as that displayed in the Social Media videos.