Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar SC says her government is working on legislative changes that would hold parents legally accountable for their children’s involvement in bullying, violence and other misconduct at schools.
According to the Prime Minister, the proposed measure is aimed at addressing growing concerns about indiscipline and violence among students, adding that parents must play a more active role in guiding their children’s behaviour.
“I maintain that parents must be held legally and financially accountable for their children’s behaviour. This is part of the broader policy of this Government to address rising concerns about school violence, gang influence, and the lack of effective deterrents. Parents must be more engaged in their children’s behaviour, especially when schools alone cannot manage escalating violence. The threat of legal consequences may push parents to intervene earlier in cases of bullying. Under this bill, parents could face fines or penalties if their child is repeatedly involved in bullying or violent acts.”
The Prime Minister’s latest comments come after Education Minister Dr. Michael Dowlath recently revealed that incidents occurring during class time with a staff member present rose from 401 to 544.
The Prime Minister said such behaviour should not be tolerated, especially within the school environment. She added that persistent misconduct by a minority of students disrupts the learning environment for those who want to succeed.
“If a student cannot behave properly when a teacher is present, you can only imagine how much worse they behave when unsupervised. It’s time for the parents of this minority of misbehaving students to take responsibility for their children’s behaviour and find some alternative for them to do if they cannot behave appropriately at school. We can’t let a small minority of children continue disrespecting teachers and disrupting the students who want to learn.”
The Prime Minister urged young people to get serious about life and to take advantage of the educational opportunities available to them.
“When you waste your educational opportunities and fail your exams, your future will be very difficult because your earning potential will be very limited.”