00:00In her message, Prime Minister Passat-Bissessa encouraged students to take their education seriously,
00:07build lasting friendships, and use their time at school to prepare for the future.
00:12She warned, however, that bullying, disruptive behavior, and a failure to take schools seriously
00:18could limit their opportunities later in life.
00:21The Prime Minister said, while life will present challenges,
00:24a good education gives young people more options to overcome them.
00:29Prime Minister Passat-Bissessa also had a message for teachers and principals,
00:34urging them to take a zero-tolerance approach to disrespectful behavior by students and parents.
00:41She said, quote,
00:42Don't stress out yourselves trying to help people who don't want to be helped.
00:47If students refuse to behave properly and parents are ignoring your concerns,
00:52send them straight home and let them and their parents battle it out in their house.
00:57You are there to teach, mentor, and protect those students willing to learn,
01:02not to be abused by any student or parent.
01:05And if any threat is made, contact the TTPS immediately.
01:09End quote.
01:10As for parents, she placed responsibility for discipline firmly in their hands.
01:16She warned that failing to provide that guidance could have serious consequences for children later in life.
01:23The Prime Minister said, quote,
01:25Do not dump your parental responsibilities onto teachers.
01:29That is your job.
01:31You made your children.
01:32It is not the teachers' or anyone else's responsibility to mind them.
01:37Do your part now, so that in years to come,
01:40you won't have to be at the courthouse in your old age trying to secure bail
01:45to get them released from incarceration.
01:48End quote.
01:50Cindy Raghubatika Singh, TV6 News.
