Ministry, Port of Spain schoolchildren stage walk against violence at Savannah

JUST hours after three people were shot on Nelson Street near the South East Port of Spain Government Secondary School on October 17, over 200 students from schools throughout Port of Spain and environs gathered at the Queen’s Park Savannah on October 18 for a peace walk.

The Ministry of Education organised the Safe Communities, Safe Schools walk to promote positive community values in the face of recent violence plaguing schools throughout the country.

From 8 am, students from schools that included Fatima College, Bishop Anstey High School and Hokett Baptist Primary School walked in their PE uniforms with signs in hand that read "Put the guns down" and "Stop the bullying" as they chanted, "We want peace."

The energy at the march stood in stark contrast to the sombre silence at the South East Secondary School during Newsday's visit after the shooting.

Having already been dismissed after a volley of shots were fired, the school was empty, except for the heavily armed police and soldiers that were patrolling the area.

Three people, all from Nelson Street, were wounded during that incident which followed a murder on Fromager street, Laventille earlier that same day.

While no students, teachers or staff were injured during the shooting, they were left traumatised in its wake.

The school remained closed on October 18.

At the Savannah, Dr Ayinka Nurse-Carrington, manager of the Student Support Services Division (SSSD) of the ministry, spoke to the crowd of students and teachers before the walk began.

She emphasised the importance of community safety in the fight against school violence.

“The safety of our schools cannot be separated from the safety of our community. Schools are the heart of any community, and if our community thrives, our students can and will as well.

“The Ministry of Education, through the Student Support Services Division, remains steadfast in our commitment for fostering environments where every child can learn grow and succeed in a safe and nurturing space.

“But this can only be achieved if we work together. This includes families, educators, community leaders and you, the students. As the timeless African proverb reminds us, ‘It takes a village to raise a child.' In the end the true measure of our society is not its wealth or power, but how it nurtures and protects the most vulnerable – the children.”

Deputy permanent secretary at the ministry Ayanna Gaspard-Clarke said the walk was about more than the absence of conflict.

“This initiative is not just about addressing conflicts as they arise. It is aimed at preventing violence by embedding proactive strategies that transform negative behaviours. Ultimately, this approach fosters holistic development of students from early childhood through to post-secondary education and prepares them for success in the world.”

Newsday spoke with students on the walk who gave their thoughts about the initiative. Teachers gave permission for the students to be interviewed, but not to use their full names

Fifteen-year-old Akira said, "I think the walk can prevent more bullying from happening, because as you can see, in Trinidad there's a lot of bullying happening recently and a lot of crimes and gang wars. Yesterday there was a shooting by South East (Port of Spain) Secondary School and they don't even have school today.

"And I find that it ridiculous. How can you have a shooting by a school and there's children
inside? What if one of the students got a bullet? What would've been the outcome? How can you do that?

"So I came on this walk to let people hear our voices."

Mellie, 15, from Morvant/Laventille Secondary, said she hopes the walk helps with the violence and that there will be more such events, with more people involved.

"The amount of crime going on in TT right now is unbelievable. We need help, we need some prayers, something. And we need to help Trinidad somehow."

A student from East Mucurapo Secondary School said the walk will help change the community’s perspective on certain schools.

And a nine-year-old student from Christus Rex Anglican School, whom we were not allowed to name, said, “Crime in this country is making tourists not feel to come. It making people think TT is a very dangerous country. But this walk here could make TT get better."

Newsday also spoke to a teacher from St Francois Girls' College, Belmont, who did not want to be named.

The school has experienced the effects of gun violence recently. On September 27 two men were shot outside the school gates and on October 4, shots were again fired nearby, panicking teachers, parents and students.

The teacher said, “The theme says 'safe communities and safe schools,' and recently we've had really unpleasant things happening around the schools, so I think it's a great initiative from the ministry to let the community know that our schools are supposed to be a safe space...so I'm really glad we're having this march and the children are coming together. And yes, the sun is hot, but the children seem to be having a good time.”