…ministry to roll out response programme to tackle issue

MINISTER within the Ministry of Education, Nicolette Henry, on Tuesday warned city students against engaging in sexual activities in school and also chided those who shared pornographic materials of their colleagues on social media.

Prior to the launch of a stakeholders’ response to addressing pornography and sexual activity in schools, Henry and a team of education officials on Tuesday visited several city schools. The schools visited were North Georgetown Secondary, St. Josephs High and Brickdam Secondary School. Speaking to the students, the Minister said the intervention will be aimed at encouraging teachers and students to curb school-aged engagement in sexual activity and promote positive, responsible choices. Aside from encouraging them to avoid engagement in and sharing of materials containing such negative activity, the Minister advised that there are personal and broader consequences. “The Education Ministry will not tolerate this type of behaviour in schools…perpetrators will be dealt with firmly and will suffer the consequences,” Minister Henry warned.

“I want to see you make videos to help improve your school’s image towards excellence and not videos to put your school and uniform in disrepute as this will impact on the morale of all students attending your school,” the Minister declared.

At St. Josephs’ High the Minister implored the packed auditorium to understand that there are certain behaviours that are not acceptable. “If you are in school I am making it categorically clear that it is unacceptable for the person posting the video as well as the person taping and sharing the video. If you are sharing them; you are also doing something that is wrong…it is a misdemeanour and disciplinary action will have to be taken,” Minister Henry explained.

Noting the realities the minister further explained that the Ministry of Education has to take action against those who took the pictures/video and even those who shared them. The students were told that they must have boundaries and be guided by principles and Minister Henry encouraged them to question themselves when faced with negatives such as pornographic videos and photographs.

“Before you share anything on social media you must ask yourself a few questions–is it good? Is it necessary? Is it kind? And do I want to be involved? Importantly, such behaviour is covered in the school rules of which all the students were apprised of.”
At the Brickdam Secondary School now located in East La Penitence, the Minister was also very clear as she had done at the other two institutions, reminding the students of their responsibility to work towards positive personal and general development.

“You are old enough to understand right from wrong and you are here to learn…most of you are good students and you don’t want to be painted with the same brush of negativity; understand that you have to inculcate positive choices and actions that will impact upon your future…videos must go viral of you are breaking records and engaging in progressive actions not pornographic videos,” Minister Henry stressed.

In her stern warning the Minister noted, “Be informed, if you were part of the act, either as someone who shared the videos, you are just as guilty and will be dealt with through appropriate action to be taken by the Education Ministry shortly. Be responsible and stop sharing those videos! The Ministry of Education does not encourage nor will it ever tolerate such activities at any of our learning institutions nationwide. We will be taking appropriate action against all involved,” the Minister said.