From Caribbean360

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Sunday February 21, 2016 – Teachers at Trinidad and Tobago’s largest secondary school have been advised by their union to show up for work tomorrow, after a plot by gang members to attack the school was foiled on Friday.

President of the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) Devanand Sinanan said at a press conference yesterday, a day after the gun attack at Chaguanas North Secondary School “to take out a teacher and other students” was thwarted, that he had advised members to report for duty.

However, he stressed, “when they get to the school, they are to assess the situation and then act accordingly.”

Education Minister Anthony Garcia, who was also at the press conference, confirmed that classes would be in session tomorrow. He is expected to visit on Tuesday.

School was dismissed early on Friday after it was discovered that gang members, posing as students in uniform, planned to shoot a teacher and others as revenge for an incident that had occurred previously.

There have been several other incidents of violence at the school recently. Sinanan said classes were suspended last week as a result of a spate of threats and violence by students who had links to gang members.

The TTUTA head said the situation was so bad at Chaguanas North Secondary School that teachers were even fearful of walking the corridors alone.

“I can empathize with the teachers. The students have no regard for authority. How do you teach a school like that? Teachers are under siege,” he said, as he urged all stakeholders to work together to “take back control of the school”.

He also called for increased security and regular patrols at the school which has more than 800 students and close to 100 teachers.

 

IMAGE: The Chaguanas North Secondary School was on lock down last Friday. (Photo: Trinidad Express)

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