TTUTA condemns 'unsettling' of Tobago secondary schools

TTUTA Tobago officer Bradon Roberts has described as “unfortunate and unsettling,” the threatening e-mail that led to the premature dismissal of all nine secondary schools on the island on Friday.

The THA Division of Education, Research and Technology has condemned the action.

“The division strongly condemns this reckless action taken by all involved, especially as students are already engaged in Caribbean Secondary Examination Council (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination,” the division said in a statement.

“This represents a serious disruption of our education system and it will not be tolerated.”

Roberts, in a WhatsApp voice note, supported the division’s position.

“It is quite unfortunate that such an action can take place at this time where a lot of our schools preparing for exams. This is the term that will have preparations for exams.”

He continued, “We had a lot of disruptions in the previous terms. So this term is one where we would have wanted to minimise the disruptions and you see the level of unease and chaos that would have been caused today. It is very unfortunate and unsettling.”

Nonetheless, Roberts said the incident reflected the need for schools to fine-tune their evacuation processes.

He observed that several schools were caught off guard.

“The drill that would have been practised from before, I am told some students would have still been in class, ten to 15 minutes after persons were ordered to come out. So persons were at the muster point but still there were some persons in areas of the school.

“So there are some things that we need to clean up with this because, God forbid, there would be a day where the trick is not a hoax and is something real. So we need to be a little more refined in the procedure. That is the only positive I can pull for this.”

Roberts urged those responsible for the hoax to be responsible.

“Education is the real source of sustaining the country. We invest in all sorts of things but investing in education would determine the future of our country. So it is not pleasing to see that persons would get fun out of doing these kinds of hoax.”

In its statement, the division said it was apprised of threats at approximately 9 am.

It said all affected schools were immediately evacuated to their relevant muster points and were subsequently dismissed.

Parents, the division said, were contacted accordingly.

The school transportation service was also contacted to transport students who utilise the service, it said.

The division said all relevant agencies, including the police, Fire Service and Tobago Emergency Management Agency, were made aware of the threats and have initiated their investigations.

The action was part of a coordinated attempt to disrupt schools across the country. Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said at least 55 schools received the same threat.