By Sue-Ann Wayow
FIVE pupils who were involved in a fight outside Holy Faith Convent, Couva have been suspended.
In an update on Tuesday, the Ministry of Education stated investigations were initiated promptly since the incident last week and the pupils involved were currently being engaged through the appropriate disciplinary channels.
Extended suspensions have been requested in keeping with established protocols, the ministry stated. Further investigations by the Community Police are continuing.
The ministry reiterated that it views all acts of violence, particularly those involving pupils, with the utmost seriousness.
“In close collaboration with the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service and relevant school authorities, immediate steps have been taken to address the incident,” the ministry stated.
In addition to disciplinary actions, the ministry has activated its student support mechanisms.
The Student Support Services Division (SSSD) has been deployed to provide counselling and psychosocial support to both the affected students and the wider school community.
The ministry stated, “This ensures that any emotional or psychological impact is adequately addressed and that steps are taken to prevent recurrence. The Ministry of Education remains committed to fostering a safe and secure environment for all students and continues to work with families, schools, and the protective services to uphold this commitment.”
According to reports, the attack was on a teenage pupil of Holy Faith Convent Couva by five female pupils from the Couva West Secondary School who went to a nearby Starbucks in Couva, where they changed out of their school uniforms remaining in their undergarments.
They walked barefoot to the school, where they ambushed and dragged a female student from the school’s gate onto the roadway to beat her.
The fight was eventually stopped when an adult and two of the victim’s schoolmates intervened.
