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  • 2 hours ago
As thousands of students return to school, the Prime Minister is calling for zero tolerance for disruptive behaviour, telling teachers that students who refuse to behave should be sent home. However the President of the Unified Teachers Association is pushing back, warning that simply sending troubled students home could create an even bigger problem outside the classroom.

TV6's Nicole M. Romany has the story.
Transcript
00:00Tutor President Crystal Bevin Ash says discipline cannot stop at the school gate.
00:06He warns that sending students home without proper supervision could leave them vulnerable
00:12to deeper delinquency, rather than addressing the behavioural problem at its root.
00:18You don't just send them home.
00:19If they are deviant or they display deviant behaviour, let us have a social programme
00:22where some level of rehabilitation can take place, where you can bring them back to where
00:27we want them.
00:28Because when you send them home, they're going to watch cable TV, they're going on Facebook,
00:32they're going on social media.
00:34And how is that benefiting them?
00:36And when years pass, when they become adults in society, how are they going to provide
00:43or make any input into society?
00:45Will it be productive?
00:46No.
00:46You're breeding and you're cultivating bandits.
00:48That is what it will be.
00:49Additionally, he's questioning the effectiveness of the school-oriented police programme.
00:53Since DCP Junior Benjamin reported increases involving violence, vaping and the use of marijuana
01:01by pupils.
01:03Ash tells the TV6 Morning Edition key education stakeholders were not properly consulted.
01:09Is it working?
01:10Because if you're seeing, you're seeing increases in it.
01:13What is really taking place?
01:14Now, I would reiterate again.
01:16Tuta has never at any point in time received any information from the Ministry of Education,
01:20neither the police service in relation to this particular programme.
01:23We have asked for it.
01:24We have never received anything.
01:25Then, there is the state of the school buildings themselves.
01:29As the new term begins, the association says, at least 15 schools are not fully prepared,
01:35with Malabar among those where repair work was only being carried out yesterday.
01:41He says, government has been too reactive for too long, and now he wants officials to simply
01:48come clean about the delays, rather than offering excuses or sending the public around in circles.
01:55When can you say, listen, all right, I'm the Minister of Education.
01:58We started a little late this year.
02:00I apologize to the National Committee.
02:02We will strive to do better next year.
02:04Let us strive to do better.
02:05I will work together with all my persons, and we will work and make it better next year.
02:09Say that.
02:10Be a man.
02:11But why hide and make it seem as if, well, we did everything how we're supposed to do,
02:15and it took time because, you know, the procurement system.
02:17Oh, gosh, don't give us all of that.
02:19Don't give us, don't you peen on my leg and tell me rain falling, don't do me that.
02:22Nicole M. Romany, TV6 News.
02:26Let us pray with God.
02:29Please
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