Education officials are investigating a viral video from Signal Hill Secondary. Fyzabad parents allege bullying at their school.
The Tobago House of Assembly’s Division of Education has opened an investigation into a viral video showing a parent beating her child with a slipper on the Signal Hill Secondary School compound. Separately, parents of pupils at Fyzabad Presbyterian School in south Trinidad are asking the Ministry of Education to investigate alleged bullying that they say has left children injured, distressed and afraid to attend classes.
The 40-second Signal Hill video, recorded Thursday, shows a female security officer accusing a female student of accosting her. The student denied it, and her mother struck her repeatedly with a slipper as other students looked on. The incident followed warnings days earlier about staffing problems at the school. Secretary of Education Orlando Kerr declined to comment, saying he is awaiting the facts. Assistant Superintendent Mahalia Bacchus said police are aware of the incident and looking into it. She said the police presence at the school does not erase its responsibilities and that police will get involved if anything criminal is found. Signal Hill is one of two schools in Tobago with a permanent police presence. A teacher who spoke on condition of anonymity said staff were shocked and that physical discipline on the compound is not a normal occurrence. A parent outside the school said he supported the mother’s actions.
Speaking Sunday at the PNM’s “My Tobago, My Business” meeting, Delano Joefield said schools are places where children develop emotionally, socially and academically. He highlighted the role of school support officers and guidance counselors in helping students with behavior, emotional distress and family difficulties. He said concerns about understaffing and gaps in student support, including at Signal Hill, must be taken seriously and answered. He asked how teachers can teach effectively, and how children can thrive, if support systems are stretched or missing.
In Fyzabad, two parents told Guardian Media their children were attacked by classmates and that the school’s administration did not adequately address their complaints. One parent said her nine-year-old son, a Standard Four pupil, was allegedly assaulted on Oct. 6, causing injuries to his mouth, face and back. He was treated and given three days to recover from soft tissue injuries. She said a teacher allegedly suggested her son had harassed the other pupil. She reported the matter to the ministry and Student Support Services and is temporarily homeschooling him while seeking a transfer. A second parent, who asked not to be named, said her son was struck in the face with a metal water bottle by a classmate on Sept. 30, leaving swelling and bruising. She said the school took a week to respond and moved her son to another classroom, and she alleged previous bullying and threats. The principal was absent when Guardian Media visited, and the newspaper said it was awaiting a response from Education Minister Dr. Michael Dowlath.
The ministry’s revised National School Code of Conduct says bullying will not be tolerated and bans corporal punishment as a school sanction. It cites more than 22,000 suspensions between 2022 and 2025 and adopts a zero-tolerance approach to violence. Dowlath has said the code is meant to protect students while ensuring schools respond consistently. The Guardian reported that the government is proposing legislation to hold parents accountable for their children’s behavior.
