THE Ministry of Education has responded swiftly and decisively to a disturbing incident of bullying at Ann’s Grove Secondary School, which involved a special-needs student being physically assaulted and verbally abused by classmates, an act captured in a video that circulated widely on social media.

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, was first informed of the incident by a relative of the injured student during a visit to the child’s home in Victoria Village. In response, the ministry dispatched a high-level delegation to the school on Monday to engage directly with students, teachers, and parents.

The delegation, led by Deputy Chief Education Officer for Administration, Ms. Tiffany Favorite-Harvey, included Assistant Chief Education Officer for Secondary Education, Mr. Sherwyn Blackman; Regional Education Officer for Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Ms. Keane Adams; Assistant Chief Education Officer for Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND), Dr. Keon Cheong; among other senior officials.

According to the ministry, the discussions held at the school were extensive and aimed at understanding the scope of the issue and formulating appropriate responses. As a result of the investigation, disciplinary action has been taken against the students found to be involved in the bullying incident. The measures vary depending on the level of each student’s involvement and include mandatory counselling, psychological evaluations, transfers to other schools and close monitoring.
In a statement, the ministry expressed “deep concern and disappointment” over the handling of the incident within the school’s internal system and has launched a full investigation to determine where procedural failures may have occurred.

“This system must work,” the ministry stated firmly, noting that school counsellors have been placed in nearly all secondary schools since around 2021/2022. There are currently more than 133 counsellors deployed across the country’s 117 secondary schools, including Ann’s Grove Secondary, which has its own dedicated counsellor.
The ministry emphasised that once the ongoing review is complete, appropriate action will be taken to address any shortcomings and ensure a safer, more responsive learning environment for all students.

The case has reignited calls for greater attention to the mental health and safety of special-needs students, as well as the need for stronger anti-bullying protocols across schools in Guyana.