- Stark Warning for Students: Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar warned students that failing to secure an education and engaging in disruptive behaviour will doom them to a difficult life of low-paying jobs and misery.
- Zero Tolerance for Teachers: Educators were urged to stop stressing over students who refuse help, send disruptive pupils home, and immediately contact the police if they are threatened or abused by students or parents.
- A Demand to Parents: The Prime Minister told parents to take full responsibility for disciplining their children at home rather than dumping the burden on teachers, warning that failure to do so could lead to them bailing their children out of jail in the future.
By Prior Beharry
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has delivered a “tough love” message to students, parents, and educators to mark the opening of the 2026/2027 academic year.
She warned students that a lack of education will doom them to a life of misery and low-paying jobs.
In a stark departure from traditional back-to-school pleasantries, the Prime Minister cautioned students against disruptive behaviour and urged them to ignore “glib reassurances” that failing at school is acceptable.
Persad-Bissessar said, “Life is tough without an education, it will grind you down until you end up just surviving day to day and not actually living a satisfying wholesome life.”
She warned that those who choose to bully others and create chaos in classrooms will face a difficult future, noting that the same people who publicly claim life isn’t over after failing school are privately warning their own children otherwise.
Persad-Bissessar said, “None of these glib people are going to lift a finger to help you when you complete schooling without an education and are struggling to earn a living.”
The Prime Minister also urged teachers and principals to adopt a strict zero-tolerance policy towards disrespectful students and parents.
She advised educators not to stress themselves over individuals who refuse help, but rather to send disruptive students home and let families deal with the fallout.
Persad-Bissesar said, “You are there to teach, mentor, and protect those students willing to learn, you are not there to be abused, intimidated, and harassed by any student or parent,”
She told educators to contact the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) immediately if they face any threats.
Persad-Bissessar demanded that parents take full responsibility for their children’s discipline and upbringing rather than dumping those duties onto school staff.
She said, “Do your part now with your children so that in years to come when they become adults, you won’t have to be at the courthouse in your old age trying to secure bail to get them released from incarceration.”
Persad-Bissessar wished the nation’s students, teachers, and parents a safe and productive term, praying that they make the best decisions for their futures.
