Prime Minister Kamla Persad‑Bissessar addressed teachers, principals, students and parents as schools reopen for the 2026/2027 academic year. She called for a zero‑tolerance approach to indiscipline, insisting that educators focus on learners who genuinely want to study rather than tolerate disruptive students or abusive parents.
The Prime Minister said students who repeatedly refuse to behave and whose parents fail to address concerns should be sent home for the family to deal with the situation. She also urged teachers who face threats or abuse to contact the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service.
Students were warned that bullying classmates, refusing to work, and disrupting lessons can damage their own future prospects. They were urged to attend classes consistently, stay disciplined, respect school staff and take personal responsibility for their academic progress.
Parents were reminded that raising and disciplining children is not a task to be transferred to teachers. The Prime Minister cautioned that failure to address serious behavioural problems early could lead to far greater consequences later, including encounters with the criminal‑justice system.
With thousands of students returning to classrooms, the message underscores discipline, parental responsibility and respect for educators as the nation’s key themes heading into the new term.
