Valencia schoolgirls gone wild

A brawl in Arima last Friday is believed to be the genesis behind a group of schoolgirls climbing over the fence and invading the Valencia Secondary School on Monday evening, terrorising teacher, beating students and causing the two female MTS guards on duty, to retreat in terror.

Video images, recorded on cellular phones were, uploaded to social media showing girls in school uniforms attacking one another outside the KFC fast food restaurant in Arima last Friday. In the video, a schoolgirl was left almost naked after her school shirt and vest were ripped off from her body as she was beaten by another schoolgirl.

In tears and using her arms to cover herself, the teen is seen being led away by a woman whose face is hidden by the Muslim garb known as a burqa. Police sources said it is believed that in an act of vengeance, a group of six female students went to the school on Monday evening after classes had ended for the day.

Finding the front gate locked, the girls scaled the fence and began to attack several schoolgirls who had stayed back for lessons and evening extra-curricular sporting activities.

Students and teachers ran and locked themselves in classrooms when the invaders began to throw stones and other items. The two female security guards attempted to restore order but were outnumbered by the attackers and also had to beat a hasty retreat.

Sources said that the teachers called in the police while they remained locked in the classrooms. It was not known if the invading gang of schoolgirls were detained by police or if they ran off before the officers arrived.

Education Minister Anthony Garcia yesterday said while he is concerned over Monday’s incident, he insisted violence and indiscipline in secondary schools remain on a downward trend. He added that school supervisors and principals are engaged in ongoing discussions to devise strategies to reduce violence and delinquency.

“I would like to make it clear that the Ministry has been very successful in curtailing violence and indiscipline in the nation’s schools. This is why I have decided to engage the school supervisors and put forward measures so that students can be more closely monitored after classes on evenings. Once a child is wearing the school uniform, it is our duty to ensure they adhere to the rules,” Garcia said.

President of the TT Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) Lynsley Doodhai called on Garcia to beef-up security at the Valencia Secondary school saying the two female security guards assigned is insufficient to maintain discipline and order.

Doodhai said that since the invasion on Monday, staff at the school have expressed concern over their personal safety.

“What we need at the school is increased police patrols and beefing-up of security on the compound. What happened on Monday must not be allowed to happen again and we hope the Minister engages the assistance of the National Security Ministry on the matter,” Doodhai said.