The Government and the Department of Education condemn any form of violence. Schools act swiftly and appropriately whenever incidents occur. The recent altercation that took place outside school premises is deeply regrettable but not reflective of the values or conduct of the vast majority of our young people, who demonstrate respect and responsibility every day. 

The Government maintains the Department’s position that schools should promote a violence free culture, grounded in clear expectations, strong pastoral care, and firm disciplinary practices that emphasise accountability and learning. Serious misdemeanours must be dealt with robustly, and schools work closely with parents, carers, and, where necessary, the police to ensure appropriate consequences and lasting change. 

The Minister for Education met at the first opportunity yesterday with the Department of Education, schools and the Royal Gibraltar Police, and has also been in direct communication with NASUWT and Unite the Union to discuss and act on areas of concern. The Government notes yesterday’s statement by the RGP and will not at this stage comment further on any aspect of their ongoing investigation. The Government is grateful to the RGP for their continued support and their commitment to step up visibility around schools at key times. 

The Government will continue to cooperate fully with the RGP and work closely with the young people involved, not just the two involved in the fight but also those who were urging them on and those who were circulating the videos, with their parents and carers, and relevant agencies to address this situation firmly and constructively and ensure accountability, whilst repairing the harm caused and supporting the learning and development that must follow. The Government will always support its Education staff in all situations, however difficult, and will continue to work with the whole Education team to improve standards of behaviour. 

Minister for Education John Cortes who is taking a deep personal interest in the incident and on issues of behaviour, said, “It is a fact that fights outside schools are nothing new, but this cannot be taken as acceptance of their inevitability. I have met with the Commissioner of Police, the Department of Education and the head teachers of Bayside and Westside, and can assure everyone that the schools are working together proactively to deal with the issue firmly and decisively, and so there need be no fear that the incident will be treated lightly or anything other than seriously. I will be setting up a number of meetings with all stakeholders, including NASUWT, to address their concerns and look into other related issues such as producing guidelines on intervention, so that staff can feel confident that any response to such a situation is safe and supported”.