In an attempt to curtail viral images of school violence being recorded by students and posted on social networking sites, Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh has announced that the cellphone policy in schools will be reviewed.
Making the announcement yesterday, Gopeesingh said an inter-ministerial team comprising the permanent secretaries of the ministries of Education, National Security, People and Social Development and Gender Youth and Child Development, had been mandated to review the use of cell phones in the nation's primary and secondary schools.
Admitting that they could not totally ban the use of cellphones as students were constitutionally entitled to contact their parents during an emergency, Gopeesingh said the authorities could no longer continue to operate as usual.
He said although cell phones were a modern communication device, the team would be examining global practices and would present its recommendations to the ministry shortly thereafter.
Also present at the meeting at the ministry's head office, Loinsworth Building, St Clair, yesterday, was National Security Minister Carl Alfonso and Minister of the People and Social Development Christine Newallo-Hosein.
Although Gender Youth and Child Development Minister Clifton De Coteau was not present at the meeting which had only been arranged on Sunday, the permanent secretary and other officials from his ministry were present at the meeting which began around 10 am and lasted well beyond midday.
Acknowledging the recent upsurge of videos depicting school violence and bullying, Gopeesingh said: "We have to make a decision about how we treat with cellphones in schools, since it appears that when children know they are performing for a camera, they are tempted to behave in even more risky behaviour."
Declaring the recent videos as "worrying," Gopeesingh said those posted to the social media site Facebook last week, demonstrated "school bullying and children fighting in truly alarming and even brutal ways."
Claiming that student suspensions were declining, Gopeesingh revealed for 2014, there were a total of 1,800 matters of indiscipline reported throughout the seven educational districts.
Unwilling to name the schools which recorded the most cases of indiscipline, Gopeesingh said the South East and Port-of-Spain and Environs districts, had each recorded 270 cases of indiscipline.
Approximately 259 cases were reported in the St George East Education District while 204 cases were recorded in the Victoria district.
Meanwhile, in the Caroni Education District, the minister announced that there were eight secondary schools on which they needed to focus.
Highlighting the myriad of initiatives introduced by his ministry to reduce school violence and bullying, Gopeesingh said while it was only a "few children who engage in such disturbing behaviour," parents also needed to take a greater responsibility for their children's development in the home.
He urged absentee fathers to get involved in their children's lives, as he believes this could lead to a reduction in school violence.
Gopeesingh said perpetrators of criminal acts were often victims "of larger problems which may stem from issues in the home or community, or mental and psychological issues."
Adding that the Police Service was ready to respond to any acts of criminal violence, Gopeesingh warned both students and parents that anyone caught involved in harmful acts, would be prosecuted according to the law.
He was unable to provide a number of the people who were before the courts for similar acts, but he stressed that: "principals already know that when students break the law, it is well outside of their purview to handle this. Criminal acts in our schools, regardless of who perpetrates them, are criminal acts and must and should be dealt with by the police."
To this end, chief education officer Harrilal Seecharan has also been mandated to meet with school principals and school supervisors to reinforce the urgent need for prompt reporting of each incident of bullying, violence and threats to be reported to the ministry.
Gopeesingh said they would also seek the assistance of the Ministry of Justice to ensure the matters before the court were dealt with in a timely manner, while the Ministry of National Security was also moving towards addressing the issue of gang violence outside the school and its impact on students within the education system.
?Safer schools
On the issue of providing transport for schoolchildren, Gopeesingh said his ministry had spent close to $50 million last year on the service.
He said it had partnered with the Public Transport Service Corporation as well as private maxi-taxi operators and other private drivers to ensure that children were safely delivered to and from schools.