The Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training is deeply concerned about videos circulating that depict grossly inappropriate behaviours by some primary school students on what appears to be their final day at school.
When contacted, the Principal of the primary school indicated that she has already begun to address the situation. She stated that teachers of the students involved in the incidents have already contacted the students’ parents. She also informed the Ministry that she will convene a meeting with the parents on Tuesday.
In the meantime, the Chief Education Officer, Dr Ramona Archer-Bradshaw, will meet with the Principal of the school, the Senior Teacher and the teacher of the students on Monday to obtain a report on the circumstances that led up to this occurrence.
Last Thursday, the Chief Education Officer recorded a message of hope for all students and teachers. She implored children to use the summer break as a season of opportunity to learn new things, feed their minds positively and to read something every day. This is her sincere wish, now, more than ever, as there is an urgent need to deal with this matter and others like it.
The Chief Education Officer said that “While the images were deeply disturbing, we will not embark on a campaign of shaming minors. Rather, as we go into the summer vacation period, we are appealing to parents and other adults involved in the lives of children to not only increase the vigilance in our children’s activities, but also increase their engagement with them. As parents, we need to continue open and honest discussions with our children about good decision-making and setting standards of excellence for themselves. We also need to help them set the necessary boundaries to protect themselves. Peer pressure is certainly not new, but in a digital world where there exists the illusion of reward for the most extreme exhibitions of behaviour, our efforts to help our children to become more resilient must be significantly increased.”
The Ministry remains committed to providing the structure for our children’s educational needs, and stands ready to support school leadership, teachers, counsellors, coaches, student councils, parents and any other entities that encounter our nation’s children.
While the Ministry is very disturbed by the recent occurrence, it respects that minors are involved and, as such, the outcomes of this meeting will be treated confidentially. Furthermore, we ask members of the public to desist from sharing the video for the sake of the children. Their protection is our responsibility as a nation, and this incident, while unfortunate, should not be allowed to define these children. All parties will emerge better and wiser for the lessons learned, as the Ministry of Education and all of its partners move forward to create a bright future for every child.
