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THE State has been held legally accountable for the assault on a 15-year-old student at Couva West Secondary School, after the High Court found that the Ministry of Education, through its agents at the school failed in its "solemn duty" to ensure the safety and welfare of the student who was repeatedly bullied before being violently attacked in 2017.

In an oral decision delivered by Justice Nadia Kangaloo on Wednesday, the court concluded that the school had a documented history of being aware of the bully's actions, yet failed to prevent or adequately intervene in the incidents.

The judge described the school's inaction as a "systemic breakdown" rather than an "isolated lapse." The victim, whose identity remains protected, was assaulted twice on school premises in one day, sustaining severe head trauma and post-concussion syndrome that resulted in a 20 per cent permanent partial disability.