RADHICA DE SILVA
radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly has launched an investigation into allegations of bullying at the Mayaro Government Primar School. This follows complaints from parents that younger children are being bullied for money and school officials are allegedly turning a blind eye.
Several incidents have occurred at the school which have left one child with a fractured arm and another with injuries to his groin.
The latest incident occurred on May 9, when a Standard One boy was kicked by a Standard Two pupil. That same day, a First Year pupil was injured when another child knocked him off a chair, causing him to fall backwards and hit his head.
The parents have lodged reports at the Mayaro police station and the younger child is expected to undergo an ultrasound on Monday.
Speaking outside the school on Tuesday, the parent called for action and complained that school officials do not do enough to protect the younger pupils.
“There have been multiple incidents in the school involving my son. The older children bully the younger ones and those in charge do nothing,” she said.
She explained that her son has been in pain for the past week.
Another parent said she was forced to take her child out of school because of the bullying.
“Every day my child would cry. I had no choice but to move him to another school,” she said.
“There were times he was spat on. I went to the school to complain and they promised to look into it but nothing was done. Every day he would complain that someone hit him, kick him, push him. He would come home with scratches on his face. His grades started to drop and eventually, I had to remove him,” she recalled.
The parents said they want a buddy system to be set up in the school where the older children are taught to protect younger ones.
“We also want more safety officers and more security guards. We want accountability when things happen,” the parent said.
She explained that anti-bullying sensitization should take place at assembly and more patrols should take place during break time and lunchtime.
“This school has a culture where bigger kids are always beating up the little ones and something has to be done about it,” she said.
Contacted for comment, Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said she has sent a team to investigate. Officials visited the school on Wednesday and took statements.
This is not the first incident of bullying at the school. In 2017, the parents of a Standard 2 pupil took legal action after their son was injured on the compound. At the time the teachers said the boys were playfighting.