Dozens of students suspended daily from T&T schools: Gopeesingh

Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh said Tuesday there is an alarming rise in indiscipline at schools, with at least 3,300 suspensions during the 2009-10 academic year. That amounts to dozens of suspensions on every school day.

Gopeesingh also said in the six year period starting in 2004 11,000 students were suspended from schools across the country.

The minister spoke with media following a meeting with Police Commissioner Dwayne Gibbs. “We have to move very quickly to combat this issue,” Gopeesingh said.

He said a special task force set up in February is studying more than 1900 recommendations to deal with school violence and indiscipline. In addition, he said authorities are looking at preventative measures, such as an increase in the number of officers assigned to the Student Support Services Division.

Gopeesingh also noted that more the ministry has increased guidance officers, added social workers and put extra safety officers in schools. He said he hopes these extra measures would help deal with the problems.

Gopeesingh also spoke about break-ins at schools. He said one way to deal with the problem is to introduce K9 patrols at schools which are not properly secured.

He identified high risk schools, which thieves have targeted: Arima North, Coryal, Matura, Palo Seco, Brazil, Manzanilla, Preysal, San Juan North, Waterloo, Barrackpore, Valencia, and St Joseph’s College.