[UPDATED] ‘MISS’ STABBED IN CLASS

SHANE SUPERVILLE and CAROL MATROO

CHILDREN recoiled in horror, some screaming, when a man stormed a classroom at the St Pius Boys RC Primary School in Arouca and began stabbing the female teacher repeatedly with an ice-pick on Monday afternoon.

The incident left some students so traumatised that they had to receive counselling from specialists provided by the Education Ministry. Up to press time last night, the attacker remained at large while the teacher, who police asked Newsday not to identify, remains warded at hospital in stable condition under police guard. Police said the 45-year-old woman was in her class at around 2.20 pm when one of her neighbours slipped past the lone guard at the front gate, walked onto the compound and entered the classroom. He pulled out the ice-pick and stabbed the teacher five times before running off.

The badly bleeding woman was taken to the Arima Hospital where she was treated. Police are investigating a report that a land dispute may be the reason behind the attack When Newsday visited the school yesterday in an attempt to speak to the principal, security guards said he was in a meeting and would not be able to comment. This is not the first violent act at school this year.

In February, principal of the Tunapuna Hindu Primary School, Jeewan Ramdhanie, was beaten by a parent with a baton over what police suspect might be over the suspension of a student. He required several stitches to close the gash to his head.

TTUTA SHOCKED

In a swift response, the TT Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA) demanded increased security at St Pius Boys’ RC in the wake of the stabbing incident.
TTUTA general secretary Fitzroy Daniel said the man slipped past a security guard who was attending to someone else. Daniel said there are strict safety protocols at the school, but only one security guard is on duty.

This was one of the main issues raised when TTUTA and representatives from the ministry’s Health, Safety and Security Division met with the principal yesterday morning. Daniel said there should be at least two security guards at primary schools.

“We will carry that proposal to the Education Ministry because one security guard obviously cannot guard large premises. We condemn this action and will continue to do so.”
Daniel added, “What happened was, the person was standing behind another individual, somebody who had come up to the security, and the security was taking information from that person. The fellow behind slipped through and he entered the compound.

“It is not that the person just walked in the compound, it didn’t happen like that. He used that (other person) to his own advantage. That is why we are saying you cannot have one person taking information and somebody else is not engaged with a second person.”

PROTOCOLS ASSESSED

As part of the investigation, the security protocol for entering and leaving the school will be assessed, and changes made where necessary.

A statement from the ministry said reports to the School Supervision Division are that the teacher is in a stable condition.

Contacted for comment, Education Minister Anthony Garcia expressed “my sincerest wishes for a speedy recovery to the teacher.” He said a thorough investigation will be done to ensure such an incident did not occur again.

“Our teachers are responsible for moulding the future of TT. No teacher must feel any sense of danger while they carry out their duty in delivering education to our students, and no student should ever have to be a witness to such an attack.”

At the time of the incident, 105 students and ten teachers were at the school.

Staff of the Student Support Services Division, including a team of guidance officers and social workers, met yesterday with students to offer intervention and counselling as needed.

This story was originally published with the title "Teacher stabbed in class: TTUTA wants more security" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

TTUTA is calling for increased security at St Pius Boys' RC School, Arouca, after a female teacher was stabbed in full view of her students on Monday.

Reports are that her attacker entered the premises under false pretences.

TTUTA's general secretary Fitzroy Daniel said the man slipped past a security guard who was attending to someone else.

Daniel said TTUTA had addressed the issue of security protocol and would be taking its proposal for increased security to Education Minister Anthony Garcia.

He did not have the latest report on the condition of the teacher, only that she was warded at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope. However, a statement from the ministry said she was in stable condition.

Garcia said a thorough investigation would be done to ensure that such an incident did not occur again.

“Our teachers are responsible for moulding the future of TT. No teacher must feel any sense of danger while they carry out their duty in delivering education to our students, and no student should ever have to be a witness to such an attack," Garcia said.