Schools are not jails

CLINT CHAN TACK

EDUCATION Minister Anthony Garcia yesterday declared, “Our schools must not be seen as jails.”

Garcia made this declaration in the House of Representatives as he responded to a question from Tabaquite MP Dr Surujrattan Rambachan about whether consideration would be given to arming security guards after an incident at the Jordan Hill Presbyterian School in Princes Town, where a teacher was robbed of her vehicle at gunpoint.

Garcia said this issue, “has been something which has been on the agenda for a number of years.” The minister said, “In cases where it is necessary for a security guard to be provided with a firearm, that must be conceived.”

However Garcia said as broad principle, the ministry is, “not favourable to the notion of arming our security guards.” He said it was important for schools to be seen as places where learning and teaching take place. A former secondary school principal, Garcia said the most important responsibility of any principal is ensuring the safety of all people within the school compound.

In the case of Jordan Hill, Garcia said the incident occurred because of a “breach in the safety and security protocols there.” He said the ministry has taken “decisive action” to ensure there is no repeat of that situation. Garcia said the Police Service and other stakeholders at the school have been engaged in this regard.

Naparima MP Rodney Charles asked Garcia if he felt an unarmed female security guard was sufficient to protect the school’s 28 teachers and 548 students. “The answer is yes,” Garcia replied. Later in the sitting, National Security Minister Edmund Dillon said he has no information which suggests that members of the TT Defence Force (TTDF) are lending their camouflage military uniforms to other people.

He said the Customs and Excise Division, which falls under the Finance Ministry, is the main entity which deals with the importation of camouflage clothing for the military. Dillon cited several pieces of legislation which allow the Police Service and other entities to treat with the illegal importation of camouflage patterned clothing. He said Legal Notice 33 of 1984 prohibits the importation of camouflage patterned material into TT unless the national security minister certifies it is for use by the TTDF.