(Trinidad Guardian) Education Minister Anthony Garcia said he was disturbed about a video on Instagram which showed suspended Diego Martin North Secondary a students boasting about their deeds.
The video on Instagram Live showed at least two of the girls, who were at home due to the suspension, praising their drug supplier while boasting that their exploits, which have been shared numerous times on social media, had made them famous.
Responding to the video, Minister Garcia said he was “greatly disturbed” and confirmed that their suspensions had been extended.
The suspension was not a direct result of the video as the minister had indicated last Wednesday that the school’s principal was requesting an extension. The extension came from the principal on Thursday, before the video was made public.
According to reports, one of the girls sent threatening text messages to the principal.
An official at the Education Ministry also said attempts were made to assist one of the suspended girls with finishing her School Based Assessment (SBA’s). However, the student was uncooperative.
Garcia said from Monday the girls will be sent to a Learning Enhancement Centre where they will be supervised by guidance counsellors with an aim of rehabilitation.
He said what he saw in the video was a cry for attention and a plea for help.
The six girls were suspended after a video went viral on Tuesday showing them smoking what appeared to be marijuana.
Police visited the school on Wednesday and investigations are ongoing.