Ratu Kadavulevu School students who were involved in inciting protests at the institution last week will be suspended, while school principal, Arvind Prasad has been granted the request to be relocated.

Sixteen Ratu Kadavulevu School students who were involved in inciting protests at the institution last week will be suspended, while school principal, Arvind Prasad has been granted the request to be relocated.

This has been revealed by the Ministry of Education, which says some staff of RKS are also alleged to have been involved in inciting the students and these teachers will be investigated.

The suspended students will be provided counselling and academic support during the suspension period.

Prasad asked for his relocation, which the Ministry has agreed to and Acting Director Secondary, Iosefo Masivue, will oversee the investigation and school operations until a new Head of School is appointed.

An expression of interest will be put out by the Ministry as part of a merit-based process to select the best candidate.

Two important issues are being addressed by the Ministry, one is the allegation against the Head of School, and the other is the breach of the Ministry’s behaviour management policy by students.

“The initial stage has revealed that the action of the students breached the student behavior management policy and that actually revealed to us there were some staff involved as well in inciting the students and that is something we will not tolerate. When I say staff, staff includes teachers and other staff employed by the Ministry of Education at RKS so on that we are suspending 16 students, 16 students are going to be indefinitely suspended for breaching the students’ behavioral policy.”

The Ministry says that grievances must be addressed using the proper channel and not through methods which disrupt classes.

It further says students are to refrain from such behaviour and to not be led astray by unscrupulous elements as there are consequences as per the Student Behavior Management Policy.

Teachers are also warned to refrain from such activities and heads of schools to be more sensitive towards the needs of the students.
Classes resume at the school on Tuesday.