Trinidad: PM Kamla condemns school violence after brutal attack on 15-year-old in Couva

Trinidad and Tobago: Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has condemned the violent acts that took place earlier this month including the assault by 5 girls aged 14-18 on a 15 year old girl outside Holy Faith Convent, Couva, Trinidad. 

PM Persad-Bissessar made a bold statement, taking a stand against the violent acts that followed the arrest and charging of the five girls in connection with the assault on a 15-year-old. She emphasized the need to purge schools of this violence, noting that the country is already plagued by violence in educational institutions.

According to the information, on June 25, 2025, following an investigation by the WPC Boodoo of the Couva Police Station, the five school going girls aged 14-18 were charged with Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm. The assault allegedly took place on June 10, 2025 right outside the Holy Faith Convent, Couva when they attacked the 15-year-old girl who sustained injuries and required immediate medical attention.

Following this tragic incident, Wayne Mystar, the assistant Commissioner of Police, reiterated  that the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service has very zero tolerance for violence and more in particular the ones that involve school-aged children. He assured that the service and the community leaders will continue to encourage peaceful conflict resolution in the schools and among the youth. 

In her address Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar reminded parents and students that schools will always prioritise those who seek to learn over those who disrupt the school by committing acts of violence. She further stated that all individuals who engage in  acts of violence, drug trafficking, intimidation, bullying, or extortion will result in prosecution and facing legal consequences .  

She also looks forward to the conclusion of the ongoing investigation into the physical attack on a Form Five student of SouthEast Port of Spain Secondary School.

Citizens have taken to expressing their views on Facebook on the consequences of such acts in the long run and some even demanding that the parent be charged as well with one user writing, “Well said and done Honorable Prime Minister, something has to be done about this School violence with those delinquents who not interested in their education but to fight like adults and other students and bullying others., there must be a way to deal with such attitude and behaviour in our nation's Schools, even their attitude towards their teachers let them face the charges alike the same consequences as Adults.”