St Christopher's Primary School will be closed today and tomorrow.

This follows a wounding incident yesterday on the adjacent pasture which parents and teachers have been asking to be enclosed.

The issue of safety of the students and teachers came to the fore following a recent incident in which a senior teacher at the school was physically assaulted by a parent. That parent subsequently appeared before the Magistrates' Courts in connection with the incident.

Minister of Education Ronald Jones told the DAILY NATION yesterday evening the closure would allow the Ministry of Education to "address the issues" affecting the school. Teachers and ancillary staff are to report to the Christ Church school at 9 a.m.

Jones said that it was a "traumatic experience" for the students and teachers who witnessed the incident in which a group of men injured Jerome Bynoe, 25, who lives in a neighbouring village.

Jones added: "We will be acting with some haste because the safety and security of the students and staff is paramount. The ministry is moving with alacrity to have the matters resolved."

He said that a physical barrier would be erected to secure the area while checks are made to determine ownership of the land.

Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) president Karen Best supported the decision to close the school, saying the teachers were "traumatised" by the incident.

Incident

Parliamentary representative for Christ Church East, Dr Denis Lowe, who is also the Minister of Social Care and Urban Development, said in a separate interview: "With this incident occurring, I think the relevant authorities have to come forward. And I think I need to speak with the Minister of Sports [Esther Byer-Suckoo, today] at Cabinet and ask her if they can do the grounds, because it needs to be fenced and it is as simple as that."

He attended a meeting with parents and guardians on Tuesday evening during which the security issue was discussed.

Lowe said there were pockets in the community with "a lot of inter-community rivalry among the young people" and intervention was urgently needed "not just at the law enforcement level but at the community level".

Karen Williams, president of the school's Parent-Teacher Association, said yesterday's meeting between the BUT and the ministry was "a step in the right direction" aimed at resolving the issue. (DS/TM)