Gopeesingh disturbed by school violence

Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh said yesterday he could not not comment on the fight among female students, in their school uniforms, featured on social networking sites as the incident was now under police investigation. He said several persons, including a parent of one of the students involved in the incident, as well as her attorney, have filed formal criminal complaints in the matter.

“As such, it will be inappropriate and prejudicial for the Honourable Minister and any other Ministry of Education official to comment on the details of this matter, as it is currently under official police probe,” a statement from his communications department said yesterday.

Gopeesingh noted, however, the bigger issue that arises from the incident was that of school violence in various forms and its prevalence among the nation’s schools and children. He admitted school violence had been a widespread problem for the past decade. He said he already had taken action by appointing in April a task force, headed by permanent secretary Maurice Suite to ensure it be dealt with in a comprehensive and tangible manner.