Senior Reporter
jesse.ramdeo@cnc3.co.tt
Education Minister Dr Michael Dowlath says tackling school violence will require a coordinated national effort involving parents, educators, communities and students themselves, as concern continues to mount over a recent spate of violent incidents in schools.
Responding to questions from Guardian Media yesterday, Dr Dowlath said while the Ministry of Education remains deeply concerned about rising incidents of indiscipline and aggression among students, the Revised National School Code of Conduct launched in March remains a critical tool in promoting safer school environments.
“The National School Code of Conduct has positively impacted school violence in Trinidad and Tobago by promoting discipline, accountability, student support and safer school environments,” Dr Dowlath said.
“While school violence remains a national challenge, the Code provides an important framework for prevention, intervention and rehabilitation.”
He stressed, however, that disciplinary policies alone would not solve the issue.
“Its success is strongest when combined with parental involvement, counselling services, community support and positive school leadership,” the minister said.
Dr Dowlath added that behavioural issues among students are often rooted in broader social challenges, which require intervention both inside and outside the classroom.
At the launch of the Revised National School Code of Conduct in March, Dr Dowlath noted that while progress was made in reducing disruptions outside the classroom, troubling new data showed behavioural issues were increasingly occurring during instructional time.
“Incidents during class time, with a member of staff present, rose from 401 to 544. This tells us that while supervision outside the classroom has improved, behavioural pressure has shifted into the classroom, which directly impacts teaching quality,” Dr Dowlath explained.
The minister’s latest comments come in the wake of a disturbing incident involving Port-of-Spain Alderman Wayne Griffith and students of Tranquillity Government Secondary School.
Griffith was attacked last Monday after reportedly attempting to intervene in a fight involving students in Port-of-Spain.
In a video that has since gone viral on social media, Griffith was seen being knocked to the ground and assaulted by several students.
Five students have since been suspended following the incident.
The attack reignited national debate surrounding discipline in schools and the growing frequency of violent altercations involving students.
Back in March, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar signalled support for stricter disciplinary measures after reports of increasing classroom disruptions and behavioural incidents.
“These incidents should be addressed with expulsion in my personal view,” Persad-Bissessar said at the time.
“If a student cannot behave properly when a teacher is present, you can only imagine how much worse they behave when unsupervised.”
The Prime Minister also argued that parents must play a more active role in addressing misconduct among children.
“It’s time for the parents of this minority of misbehaving students to take responsibility for their children’s behaviour and find some alternative for them to do if they can’t behave appropriately at school,” she said.
Persad-Bissessar warned that persistent disruptions should not be allowed to negatively affect students who are committed to learning, while noting that many behavioural problems are often reflective of patterns learned at home.
Meanwhile, Dr Dowlath said the ministry remains committed to creating environments where students and teachers feel safe.
