Eight Morvant/Laventille Secondary School students were rushed to hospital yesterday after they were pepper sprayed by a group of students.
The students, most of whom are in Form Three level, were first taken to the Morvant Health Centre before being transferred about three hours later to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope, for treatment.
Parents complained of the long wait for an ambulance to arrive as students were treated by doctors and nurses for a range of symptoms from breathing difficulties to violent coughing. Three students were described as "serious" by doctors before they were taken to hospital.
Up to yesterday evening, a policeman at the Morvant station said they had no information on the incident.
According to one student who witnessed the incident, shortly after lunch students were in classes when other students passed near the class and sprayed a substance into the room.
The substance later was identified as pepper spray which is often used to ward off bandits because it disorients people.
Annalee Williamson, whose 14-year-old daughter was affected, said her daughter was complaining of breathing problems.
"They called me at home, saying something was sprayed in the school and that my daughter was reacting to it.
"When I came here I saw my daughter on oxygen and complaining of chest pains.
"They took three hours before an ambulance could reach here to take them to the Mt Hope Hospital," she said.
Williamson confirmed that eight other students were being treated and said they all complained of chest pains, belly pain and vomiting. The students were all discharged late yesterday.
President of the T&T Unified Teachers Association Davanand Sinanan yesterday said he had not been informed of the attack but said security officers were not responsible for the behaviour of students.
He said it was difficult for officers to intercept students with dangerous weapons as students were very inventive.
"The reality is that students are very innovative and find ways to get things into schools," he added.
Pepper spray symptoms
?�2 Temporary blindness.
�2 Breathing difficulties but still enough to stay alive.
�2 Coughing, sometimes violent coughing.
�2 Runny nose.
�2 Pain in the eyes.
�2 The production of tears.