Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar says the proposed policy permitting schools to send home persistently misbehaving students remains firmly on the Government’s agenda.
She said the approach would also place greater responsibility on parents, while the Government provides additional support for children who may be in need of intervention.
“That is still on our books. We are drafting it. It will come. People are telling me, well, we can’t just send the children home. But if you can’t behave and your parents will not take responsibility, we’ll send you home. But Minister of Homeland Security has also another part of our policy to help the children.”
Minister of Land and Legal Affairs, Saddam Hosein, also weighed in on the matter.
“That’s with respect to the mentorship programme that was launched by the Homeland Ministry this week. I think Minister Alexander would have given the details when that particular programme was launched. So therefore, while the Prime Minister took this approach, there will also be the State intervention in terms of that mentorship part of it for those children who are in need of care.”