‘Don’t hold your breath’

The conference came after ministry officials earlier this week told a Joint Select Committee that there are over 300 school children with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

Visibly upset on being asked the question on if there is a possibility of condoms being distributed in schools, Garcia chided the reporter: “That is not necessary in our school system! If we distribute them, we will encourage sexual activity. Proper condom use is to be taught to adults, not children! And we will provide the tools for them (children) to resist that temptation.” Chief Education Officer Harrilal Seecharan supported Garcia saying condom distribution to students is not the way to handle the issue of STDs among school children. Seecharan said it is in fact illegal to distribute condoms to primary school students, given that sex below a certain age is illegal.

On revelations that five primary school students have been infected with HIV, he said all were infected from birth, will remain in the school system and will not be discriminated against.

He said proper measures were already in place to deal with the situation to avoid transmission to other students. Seecharan confirmed this. He added that sex education is taught at primary school level as appropriate and abstinence is taught at secondary school level. President of the TT Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) Lynsley Doodhai however, could not confirm this.

“As an educator, as a teacher, as a principal, we know there are certain things you must do if a child gets injured in school or on the school compound. But in terms of clear-cut, established protocols from the Ministry of Education...I’m not aware of it (sex-ed and abstinence being taught).”