Ministry probes brawl between Arima North female teacher, student

AN altercation between an Arima North Secondary teacher and a student came to blows on September 10, just three days into the new school term.

The brawl between the female teacher and female student was captured on video by students and uploaded to social media.

The teacher and student can be seen pulling each other's hair near a desk while a male teacher tries in vain to stop the fight. Students were also seen attempting to intervene.

In a media release on September 10, the Ministry of Education said there is a zero-tolerance stance on violence and indiscipline in school, as it launched an investigation into the incident.

The ministry said it condemned "such behaviour, which undermines the values of respect, discipline, and responsibility that our education system seeks to instil in all learners."

It said appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against all those found culpable, in keeping with the provisions of the Education Act, ministry policy, and national laws.

The ministry said it will continue to work closely with school administrations, parents, and law enforcement to ensure safe and secure learning environments for every child.

A senior police source in the Arima district confirmed the incident but said details had not been adequately processed as up till 4.15 pm, the school had only “recently” engaged the police.

Arima North Secondary is not one of the 50 schools selected to have cops stationed on the compound during the day.

The initiative, started by the Ministry of Homeland Security and Ministry of Education, began on September 8.

Arima North Secondary has been severely affected by violence – albeit not on the compound – as four past and present students were murdered in the last year.

The officer told Newsday the decision on which schools had police officers was not theirs.

“It is the ministry that advised as to which schools will be chosen.”

The source said an inquiry into the latest incident will have to be done, and that will determine the police’s actions in the matter.

“(The inquiry) must follow the rules of engagement, particularly those regarding minors.”

The source added depending on the determination, the actions could involve restraint (including arrest), but emphasised that, too, must be done within the relevant rules of engagement governing police processes involving minors.

Former Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said Education Minister Dr Michael Dowlath had questions to answer regarding the incident.

In a Facebook post in which she reposted Newsday’s initial article, Gadsby-Dolly said, “In a climate where armed police have been placed into schools, the question arises: what criteria were used to determine which schools the TTPS were sent to? Why was this school left out?”

She asked if police will now be placed at the school.

Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) president Martin Lum Kin told Newsday he was trying to get information but, up till press time, had no update on the teacher’s condition or the outcome of the incident.