Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh is expected to report to Cabinet today on the issue of school bullying and resolutions to solve the problem.
So said Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar at the Penal children’s Carnival competition, Boopsingh’s Park, Penal, yesterday.
She referred to a recent video on social media sites showing a Form One student being bullied and beaten by his classmates.
“There are times that things happen that make us very upset. That is why I have asked the Minister of Education to report to Cabinet tomorrow on the issue of school bullying. Many of you would have seen the video that went viral. It is very sad,” said Persad-Bissessar
She added that proposals for dealing with bullying in schools and school violence were expected to be brought to Cabinet.
“I’ve asked him to give us a report in the Cabinet tomorrow, as well as proposals for how we can stem violence and bullying in our schools,” she said.
“Parents you have a very important role to play as well and while the teachers and the Ministry of Education will do their best, I call upon all parents... let us instill morals and values in our children,” she added.
“They can honour and respect other children and have a team spirit to work with each other as children,” she said.
She also commended the Siparia Women’s Association for its hard work for the competition which has been an annual event since 1998.
The Dayanand Memorial Vedic School took the first place with its presentation, Trini Exotic Plumes and Blooms.
The Lady Hochoy Home of Penal placed second with The People Who Came.
Siparia Boys’ RC School placed third with From Anxiety to Celebration, which depicted a foreigner (Lucy) coming to T&T for Carnival only to learn the Ebola virus had caused Carnival to be cancelled.