Education Ministry receives preliminary report on attack involving students

Dr Michael Dowlath says the Ministry of Education has received a preliminary report into the violent attack involving students in Chaguanas that was captured on video and circulated on social media.

Speaking in the Lower House of Parliament today, Dowlath said the report was submitted by Chaguanas South Secondary School following the incident.

“I am advised that the school has formally engaged the Chaguanas Community Police and the matter is therefore before the Police for their attention and investigation,” Dowlath said.

He said the school has already begun its internal disciplinary process concerning the students involved in the beating.

“Written statements have been obtained from the students involved and from eyewitnesses and the parents of the students involved have been contacted for a conference at the school,” the Minister said.

Dowlath added that the school has been directed to convene disciplinary hearings in keeping with Ministry policies and the National School Code of Conduct.

“Following which appropriate disciplinary action will be taken,” he said.

The Minister said the Ministry will continue to monitor the matter to ensure the disciplinary process is completed and that the school continues to cooperate with the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service.

Dowlath also told Parliament that the Ministry has revised and strengthened the National School Code of Conduct, including clearer provisions relating to violence, bullying, cyberbullying, gang-related behaviour, weapons and serious misconduct.

He said a zero-tolerance approach continues to be applied to serious acts of violence and threats to student safety.

According to the Minister, the Police in Schools Programme remains active in 51 high-risk secondary schools and is supported by additional police patrols and inter-agency collaboration where required.

The incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon and involved a 14-year-old boy who was attacked by a group of students near a fast food outlet in Chaguanas.

Video footage circulating on social media showed the teenager being beaten and kicked in the head before he was rendered unconscious.

Reports said the confrontation allegedly stemmed from comments and banter exchanged on social media between students.

The injured boy was taken to the Chaguanas Health Facility before being transferred to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex for further treatment. He was later discharged.

In an earlier statement, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service said the students involved in the incident had been placed on indefinite suspension pending further enquiries.