Garcia mad over school drug trade claims

Speaking at yesterday’s launch of the Arima Volunteer Network initiative, Garcia said he was disturbed by Arjoon’s statements which were quoted in a Guardian article last Thursday.

Echoing the information communicated in a press release sent out on Friday following the publication of Arjoon’s statements, Garcia reiterated that the Ministry of Education has never been informed of any drug trade in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) centres and primary schools.

Garcia said the statements were too severe and it was only right that the ministry took immediate action. Acknowledging that from time to time there were problems with marijuana usage in secondary schools, Garcia made it known that there were also no reports of a drug trade in the secondary school system. With discussions ongoing amongst the Education Ministry’s legal departments, Garcia would only comment that if there was a breach of the law in Arjoon’s “erroneous statements,” then the ministry would determine the most appropriate action moving forward.

He insisted the current systems of authority in schools were fully capable of monitoring the behaviour of students. Noting that the ministry was doing what it could to provide a quality education for students, Garcia stated, “I want to caution persons against making such statements that would only help to harm the education system.” Sunday Newsday was unable to contact Arjoon for comment via email yesterday.

On a lighter note, when questioned about the readiness of schools to open for the upcoming academic year, Garcia said, to his knowledge, all schools were prepared for the intake of students in September