The NGO Concerned Parents Movement of TT (CPMTT) led by Clarence Mendoza is preparing to host a workshop in an attempt to curb incidences of violence in schools.
It is set to begin by the end of May to hear from students, parents, and other stakeholders.
On Friday, Mendoza told Newsday that the organisation is in the process of writing several government ministries — Education, National Security and Youth Development and National Service— to come on board in piloting the project.
"This will be a national initiative because we want to hear from each educational district. We must get out there and do something," he said.
"We are concerned about the level of violence, especially among the female students. We have grown accustomed to the males fighting, and we want to know the females are now fighting. We need to hear directly from the youths and why they are behaving the way they do. Then we need to put the necessary measures in place."
Mendoza said the police alone cannot deal with delinquents. He charged that nowadays, most children are raising themselves as parents are at work or elsewhere.
On parents intervening in brawls with students, he urged them not to take the law into their own hands and instead referred matters to the police.
Several reports of school fights nationwide have occurred in the past few weeks.
Several government ministers, including the Prime Minister and Education Minister have called on parents to do their part, saying they have a critical role to play in shaping children's minds.
On Wednesday night, a Facebook post by National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds said parents are the first responders and the best crime stoppers.
The post was accompanied by a viral 29-second video that shows students in uniform fighting.
The post said a student was killed in a country in the region in a "similar episode" of bad/criminal behaviour.
"It seems that our bad behavior will not stop until we get a similar outcome. Imagine students of different schools in competition for which school could generate the most fights. Sadly, this is the unfortunate result of our collective poor socialisation of our youth," the post said.
"Bear in mind that their behaviours are also seriously influenced by the events occurring way outside of their homes and their country, via social media. Meanwhile, the girls at SAGS, are in stiff competition to see which school wins the most scholarships."
Hinds added that they demonstrate that in the midst of the madness, bacchanal and confusion that some seem to love and revel in.
There are others, he said, who are holding up the ideals and meeting the expectations of what we are supposed to be.
"Most of all, what we have the potential to become. The law enforcement platform of National Security will do our part, but parents, teachers, and others in the society must all join in, to do theirs."
Over the past few years, there have been several videos of Siparia West Secondary School (SWSS) students fighting.
SWSS PTA president Clive Auguste told News
