Vandals target Maldon Primary School in St. James

 

 

Maldon Primary School in St. James was forced to abruptly call off classes on Tuesday following a break-in by vandals on Monday night into early Tuesday morning.

 

This is the third documented break-in at a school in the parish since the start of the September term.  

 

Anthony Swaby, Councillor for the Maroon Town division, in which the school falls, spoke to Radio Jamaica about the incident.

 

"The principal would have gone into school with her teachers and came upon the sad news that, you know, the school was broken into. And her first response would have been to contact the police officers, and then... I was informed afterwards. But it's something I call a shameless act, and an act against our education system and the future of our students," said the councillor, condemning the vandalism.

 

Mr. Swaby said school was called off on Tuesday so the police would have the opportunity to conduct their investigation. But classes should resume on Wednesday. 

 

The councillor complained that the school has been at the mercy of robbers in recent years.

 

"This school itself would have had approximately five to six break-ins within the last seven to eight years," he said, noting that CCTV cameras sponsored by community members after the last incident were destroyed in this latest attack. 

 

It's understood that vandals also broke into Buckingham Primary and Infant School on Monday night, less than two months after a similar break-in at Bickersteth Primary, also in St. James.