A break-in and vandalism of the Horace Clarke High School in St. Mary at the weekend resulted in the suspension of classes today.
The incident which occurred on Saturday night saw the ransacking of several key areas of the institution, including the tuck shop, administrative offices, staff room, and several classrooms.
The Education Ministry says items reported stolen include : internet modems, a microwave, computer accessories, and tuck shop stock. furniture and fixtures were also damaged and important documents were displaced during the incident.
Acting Principal Milton Matthews reported the incident to the Ministry’s Region 2 Office yesterday, prompting an immediate response from the regional education team.
Regular classes were suspended today, to allow for cleanup and safety assessments. All staff reported for duty and worked alongside ministry officials to prepare for the resumption of face-to-face classes tomorrow.
The Education Ministry is assuring the public that all necessary steps are being taken to support the continuation of the teaching and learning process.
Through its Region 2 Office, the ministry has partnered with the school’s leadership to implement some measures:
They are the restoration of damaged internet infrastructure to support digital learning tools; temporary reallocation of administrative functions to allow continuity of school operations, deployment of additional furniture and teaching materials as needed and psychological support and counselling services for affected staff and students.
Students scheduled to sit their Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations were accommodated today according to the official examination timetable, with full supervision in place to ensure a smooth testing process.
Meanwhile, Education Minister Dr. Dana Morris Dixon, expressed her deep disappointment at the incident stating that it is disheartening to know that individuals would callously disrupt the teaching and learning environment.
She is reminding the public that schools must be safe spaces for students and educators.
The ministry says it will continue to monitor the situation closely.
The police are investigating the incident.