Violent protests at Ste Madeleine Sec

This was announced yesterday by Education Minister Anthony Garcia during a press conference at his office in Port-of-Spain. “Arising out of the investigation, several recommendations have been made which will involve possible disciplinary action against teachers. We have done the first stage of the process,” Garcia said. “A number of areas of teachers’ behaviour have been identified and these recommendations will be made to the TSC for possible disciplinary action against some teachers who fell short of their responsibilities and their duties.” Regarding the incident in which bottles were thrown at a group of protesting teachers, Garcia said two Form Three students have been identified and sent on seven days suspension.

“It does not end with this suspension. After they have served the required period, they will be enrolled at a Learning Enhancement Centre where hopefully, they will undergo sessions aimed at behavioural modification, so they will know that those types of behaviour are not going to be condoned.” Garcia said the ministry has commissioned a thorough, comprehensive and complete investigation. “We are doing everything possible within the remit of the law to ensure the school returns to normalcy in a short space of time. The school has assumed some degree of order and discipline and we want to ensure that is maintained.” Garcia said that in an effort to make the school an interesting environment where learning and teaching can take place without any major disruptions, they have asked one of their senior school supervisors to be stationed at the school for a considerable period of time. The school supervisor will lend support to the school’s administration.

Garcia said it was unfortunate that teachers saw it fit to protest against the principal outside the school.

However, he said the ministry recognise the right of any individual to protest. “We recognise the right of any individual to protest but no right is unfettered.

No right is absolute and every right, even those enshrined in the Constitution are subject to certain standards of decency,” Garcia said.