CBTT: School violence a result of cover-ups

The group Citizens for a Better Trinidad and Tobago (CBTT) has attributed much of the present violence occurring in our nation’s schools to problems at the administrative level, which are covered-up or simply ignored. Speaking to Newsday yesterday, CBTT head and former teacher, Harrack Balramsingh, said, “it is easy to blame children for all the problems in schools but the truth is that there are administrators who students and teachers do not respect because of their arrogance and refusal to be transparent and accountable with school funds. How can such schools have peace?” Balramsingh stated that the intent by top administrators to maintain the image of their schools by covering up issues within their respective institutions has led to this sudden eruption of school violence.

Balramsingh added, “In my 25 years of teaching I have encountered teachers who curse frequently, dress in an inappropriate fashion, battle with substance abuse and I have even encountered teachers who have eaten children’s lunches as a form of punishment. Students are not going to respect these teachers.” According to Balramsingh, teachers have been silenced by their seniors, who condemn any teacher who decides to speak out regarding problems in the administration. “People get offended when you speak out. There is a fear of victimisation which I myself faced while teaching at Fyzabad Composite,” declared the former teacher. He went on to highlight many specific issues such as corrupt relationships between teachers and principals, teacher absenteeism without justification, aggression displayed by teachers and a lack of parental guidance which serve to undermine academic institutions. Balramsingh made a call for a commission of inquiry into teaching, for the purpose of, “bringing out into the open the various irregularities which take place within both the Ministry of Education  and schools.”