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Owen Speid
The Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA) has said Monday's incident at Eltham High School in Spanish Town, St. Catherine has reinforced the need for adequate security arrangements in schools.
JTA President Owen Speid says the situation is grave.
It was reported that a student had an altercation with another student on the school's compound.
One of the students left the school and returned with two men who appeared to be armed.
There were no reports of injuries.
The police were called and the student, who has been suspended, and a relative, were taken away for questioning.
The incident led to teachers staging a sit-in to voice safety concerns.
According to Mr. Speid, gang activities are taking place under the noses of teaching staff, who are powerless to stop it.
"I think it is spread right across the system but more so in the high schools, where you have students there who are affiliated with gangs... At some schools, even bullets are being sold, being traded... And one of the real challenges is that the teachers themselves cannot seize some of these items from them because you know that they will be answerable to the dons and if that happens then what is going to happen to the teacher? The teacher might have to leave the job," he revealed.
The JTA president, who was speaking Tuesday on TVJ's Smile Jamaica, reiterated the need for the security forces to be assigned to some schools.
Mr. Speid was also critical of school boards and education officers regarding their lack of response to complaints about illegal activities in schools.
"I don't know what is happening, they are just dragging their feet. Maybe NCEL (National College of Educational Leadership) needs to train some of those people," he suggested.
The Government has committed to improve safety and security in schools following recent incidents in which teachers were physically assaulted while on the job.
The administration of Eltham High has said the area of the fence where the men entered is to be reinforced and security increased.