Ministry has compensated bullying victims

Seecharan was responding to questions before a Joint Select Committee of Parliament appointed to inquire into and report to Parliament on human rights, equality and Diversity. In response to another question from the MP he said there were 117 teachers before the Teaching Service Commission and 19 of the cases relate to sexual abuse.

Chairman of the committee, Nyan Gadsby-Dolly asked why there was a shortage of guidance counsellors at schools, since there were so many people studying social sciences and social work at tertiary institutions.

Seecharan responded that the Ministry of Education dealt with 10,000 teachers and there were more than 500 people on contract in the Student Support Services Division which manages them, and this presented a challenge to the ministry’s Human Resources Department to manage the recruitment issues. He said there were vacant positions which took a long time to fill.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education Lenor Baptiste- Simmons said what is happening in the schools is a reflection of what is happening in homes and communities.