‘Every Report Is Investigated’: Education Ministry Probes Recent Wave of School Bullying and Violence as Minister Parag Demands Tighter Campus Supervision

By Marvin Cato | HGP Nightly News|

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — The Ministry of Education has launched formal investigations into a spate of violent bullying incidents involving schoolchildren over the past week, with several altercations leaving students nursing physical injuries.

Addressing the issue in an urgent Facebook video message on Sunday, Minister of Education Sonia Parag underscored the government’s commitment to campus safety, urging teachers, administrators, and parents to act decisively.

Highlighting that school yards cannot become zones of fear, Minister Parag called for immediate, heightened physical supervision of students during high-risk intervals—specifically during classroom transitions, recess, lunch breaks, and the critical after-school period when students congregate while waiting for transportation.

Zero Tolerance: Immediate Probes for All Reports

Minister Parag emphasized that the Ministry does not wait for bureaucratic paperwork before intervening, noting that both formal grievance filings and informal video clips surfacing on social media trigger administrative reviews:

• Swift Investigative Protocols: Every report of peer violence or harassment brought to executive notice is subject to an immediate inquiry to establish accountability and provide student support.
• Treating Student Voices Seriously: The Minister urged headteachers, educators, and guidance staff never to brush aside complaints, directing that every grievance involving threats or physical assault be treated with impartiality, fairness, and urgency.

“Whenever it’s brought to my attention, I immediately launch an investigation,” Minister Parag affirmed.

“I give it the seriousness it deserves because I do believe any incident regarding bullying and violence should be given the attention it deserves.”

Policy Frameworks and Values-Based Curriculum Reform

Minister Parag outlined long-term institutional programs implemented to eliminate peer aggression at its roots:

• Inter-Agency Task Force: In November 2025, shortly after assuming the education portfolio, Parag launched an inter-ministerial anti-bullying and anti-violence initiative alongside the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and associated youth agencies.
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): A comprehensive draft report compiling national stakeholder consultations has been finalized. Its recommendations will be used to restructure school disciplinary guidelines, establish uniform reporting channels, and institute standard operating procedures across all educational districts.
• Moral and Civic Education Syllabus: Between September and December 2025, the Ministry designed a values-based Moral and Civic Education curriculum, which is now being taught from Nursery through Grade Nine. The syllabus instills core foundational virtues, including kindness, empathy, courtesy, mutual respect, and non-violent conflict resolution.

Root Causes: ‘Children Are Not Born Violent’

Stressing that schools cannot solve the crisis in isolation, the Education Minister reminded the public that hostile conduct is learned behavior mirrored from the home and broader community:

• The Influence of Exposure: Parag pointed out that violent conduct in children stems from social conditioning, exposure to domestic dysfunction, media consumption, and adult behavioral modeling.
• Collective Social Responsibility: The Minister appealed to religious bodies, community leaders, civil society organizations, and the private sector to reinforce positive social values so children do not import hostile behaviors into school environments.

“Behavioural patterns are not something children are born with; it is what they are exposed to, it is what they learn, it is what they are taught,” Parag stressed.

The Ministry of Education confirmed that welfare officers and schools’ division coordinators are actively working with affected families and school boards to conclude ongoing investigations and provide counseling to victimized students.