Education Ministry: Student in Williamsville Secondary school stabbing expelled

The Ministry of Education has said the female student who stabbed her schoolmate, captured in a now-viral video on Monday, has been expelled.

A statement on Wednesday said the ministry took the decision because of the “heinous nature of the action.”

In the video, the student was seen holding a knife and another student, in the same uniform, was seen holding her face, bleeding and injured from an attack. The incident took place outside the Williamsville Secondary School grounds.

It said the incident occurred even as the student was receiving support from the Student Support Service Division (SSSD) at the school.

“The ministry has referred the family to the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services (MSDFS) for intervention,” said the statement.

It said maintaining a safe and secure learning environment was aresponsibility of the Ministry of Education, and the Education Act and National Code of Conduct would be used to this end. "However," it added, "suspension and expulsion of students are not desired outcomes.

“Even with the measures instituted at schools to encourage positive behaviour in students, the importance of parents discharging their duty to regulate their children's behaviour cannot be overstated.”

It said the SSSD has over 7,000 personnel, including guidance counsellors, school social workers, special education instructors, psychologists and diagnostic specialists who work throughout approximately 625 public primary, secondary and special schools.

Vacancies in the SSSD were being filled, it said, but it must be noted that its work was " most effective with the co-operation of parents, and interventions at the level of the family.”

It said as a result, families of all students displaying negative behaviour will be referred to the Social Development Ministry for intervention outside the school environment, as the students’ behaviour is often linked to family issues.

It said the intervention of community police in 14 schools has reduced the level of serious fights there. But the ministry is closely monitoring the schools without a history of violence where disturbances are now taking place.

It has also asked the police to increase patrols in all districts at the close of the school day.