Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter

Members of the Jamaica Consta-bulary Force gather information at Dunoon Park Technical High School in Kingston after the fatal stabbing of a 16-year-old student on the school compound yesterday. - Norman Grindley/acting Photography editor

Grief counsellors and officials from the Ministry of Education were yesterday kept busy comforting students and teachers at Dunoon Park Technical High School in Kingston, after 16-year-old Shevon Johnson was stabbed and killed by a classmate.

According to the Constabulary Communication Network, about 9:45 a.m. yesterday, Johnson and his 16-year-old classmate were involved in a dispute over a cellphone battery when a knife was used to stab Johnson twice. The police said he died at the school.

The attacker attempted to escape, but was held by a policeman, in his role as school resource officer. The student is now in custody.

Principal Geraldine Arthurs said while she did not know Johnson personally, his teachers described him as "a good student, calm and willing to work". She noted that he was getting good grades in school.

Arthurs said the school community was in a state of shock and students and teachers grieved openly.

Saddened by incident

In addition to counsellors from the Ministry of Education, Arthurs said representatives from the Dispute Resolution Foundation and the Ministry of National Security also had counselling sessions with students and staff.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education said it was saddened by yesterday's fatal stabbing.

The ministry, in a release, said the incident underscores the importance of the zero-tolerance approach to violent behaviour in schools. This position, the ministry said, is clearly outlined in the Safety and Security guidelines which have been distributed to schools.

In condemning the incident, Education Minister Andrew Holness said "security and safety must become a way of thinking in schools" and that he was encouraging schools to comply with the standards set out in the policy.

Miranda Sutherland, president of the National Parent-Teacher Association of Jamaica, urged students and teachers to remain calm.

"It's just a reaction of what is going on on the ground and, as we come together to address the issue, we have to call on God," Sutherland told The Gleaner.

petrina.francis@gleanerjm.com