Prime Minister: Law Coming To Hold Parents Legally Accountable For Their Children’s Involvement In Bullying, Violence

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“Bad behaviour must not be tolerated anywhere in our country, especially in our nation’s schools.” This from Prime Minister the Honourable Kamla Persad-Bissessar, SC, MP.

In a statement issued a short while ago this evening (Thursday 5th March, 2026) via X, the Prime Minister said, “I share in the national concern regarding the information provided by the Hon. Minister of Education Dr. Michael Dowlath — incidents during class time with a member of staff present increased from 401 to 544. These incidents should be addressed with expulsion, in my personal view. If a student cannot behave properly when a teacher is present, you can only imagine how much worse they behave when unsupervised. It’s time for the parents of this minority of misbehaving students to take responsibility for their children’s behaviour and find some alternative for them to do if they cannot behave appropriately at school.”

Mrs. Persad-Bissessar continued, “We can’t let a small minority of children continue disrespecting teachers and disrupting the students who want to learn. However, many of them are simply replicating the bad behaviour of their parents and others at home. My Government will help those who want to help themselves. If you want to be misbehaved, lazy and undisciplined, you are on your own. I indicated that my Government’s 2026 legislative agenda will include a proposed law to hold parents legally accountable for their children’s involvement in bullying, violence, and related misconduct, especially in schools. We are working on this. I maintain that parents must be held legally and financially accountable for their children’s behaviour.”

She added, “This is part of the broader policy of this Government to address rising concerns about school violence, gang influence, and the lack of effective deterrents. Parents must be more engaged in their children’s behaviour, especially when schools alone cannot manage escalating violence. The threat of legal consequences may push parents to intervene earlier in cases of bullying. Under this bill, parents could face fines or penalties if their child is repeatedly involved in bullying or violent acts.”

The Prime Minister’s statement concluded by saying, “I urge young people to get serious about life. When you waste your educational opportunities and fail your exams, your future will be very difficult because your earning potential will be very limited. The only job options available for persons who don’t pass their exams are low-paying menial jobs or becoming PNM MPs.”

More on this as it becomes available.

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