Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar says her Government is reviewing security protocols at all schools across the country, following reports that an intruder entered the Santa Rosa Government Primary School and assaulted several pupils earlier this month.
Speaking during Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Representatives yesterday, Persad-Bissessar said the Ministry of Education had already responded by deploying social workers and consultants to provide trauma support. She said broader measures were also in progress.
“We are reviewing the current security protocols at that school and at all schools in the country,” she said. “More information will come during this debate when the Minister of Education will outline this Government’s policy initiatives to deal with security at all our nation’s schools.”
The incident occurred on June 2 at the Pinto Road, Arima school. According to police, a man allegedly entered the compound through a hole in the perimeter fence before classes began. He reportedly posed as an On-the-Job trainee and attempted to sexually assault multiple pupils. The suspect has not been held.
Responding to a question from the Member for Arima, Pennelope Beckles, Persad-Bissessar said the Government had acted quickly to address the issue.
“We do have a plan. We do have a programme to work with our police officers,” she said. “During our campaign, we talked about deploying police officers in schools to assist with security. We talked about other measures to help with that.”
She said the newly appointed Commissioner of Police had already shared ideas on how law enforcement can support efforts to improve school safety.
Persad-Bissessar also addressed the Opposition’s handling of school safety when in office. “We all know the Honourable Member sat in the Cabinet for five years, and I am not aware of any questions being raised, concerns or measures being proposed… to effectively deal with children in schools.”
The former Minister of Education, Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly asked if the Prime Minister was satisfied with the two-week period it took for the ministry to respond to the children involved in the incident.
The Speaker ruled that the question did not arise from the original and was therefore not allowed.