Minister of Education Esther Le Gendre says that the Trinidad and Tobago Violence Prevention Academy (TTVPA) was not a waste of the country's money in curbing school violence.

In a letter to the editor in response to a similar letter written by David Subran, which appeared on October 7 in the Express, which criticised the Ministry of Education for hiring foreigners to deal with issues of violence in the nation's schools, the Minister said:

"The Trinidad and Tobago Violence Prevention Academy (TTVPA) currently under way under the direction of Prof Charles Katz was implemented as one of the recommendations of the committee on Violence and Indiscipline 2008 established by the Ministry of Education."

Le Gendre pointed out that the Ministry's extensive programme of student support has existed, since 1998, on the basis of research conducted by local experts such as Dr Ramesh Deosaran.

She said what guided the selection of the Katz team for the Academy was primarily their impressive background and experience gained through involvement in the Arizona State Academy of Violence Prevention and Community Safety.

"The scientific approach draws on a significant body of research conducted locally.

"The TTVPA is not a stand alone intervention but includes all of the strategies... and many others that were not and are already being rolled out in our schools."