Dana Malcolm 
Staff Writer 

Three boys were injured and visitation at the Cheshire Hall Medical Center in Providenciales was suspended for about 18 hours following a school brawl on Wednesday afternoon at the Clement Howell High.

“At Clement Howell High School, the safety and well-being of our students are of utmost priority. We are taking this incident very seriously and are currently conducting a thorough investigation to ascertain the root cause and circumstances that led to this regrettable situation,” The Ministry of Education said in a press release Thursday Morning.

It followed reports of a large fight that began to come in early Wednesday morning with residents reporting not just the police but the presence of an ambulance on school grounds.

By 2 p.m. communication came from the TCI Hospital that they had suspended visitation; an action usually reserved for the aftermath of violent events.

The hospital did not say why it was closing its doors, only indicating that it was for the safety of its patients and staff as well as their families.

The Ministry cleared up some of what had happened in their statement indicating that the injured students, one 15 -year-old and two 16-year-olds, had been  taken to the Cheshire Hall Medical Centre for treatment.

“Contrary to reports circulating on social media, there were no further incidents at the hospital, however, as a standard precautionary measure, the hospital went on lockdown mode,” it said.

When Magnetic Media contacted the police around 4 p.m. Wednesday to find out what caused the ruckus they told us they were still on scene. Speaking to media later on they revealed the cause of the fight was still unknown but that they were using video evidence and interviews to piece it together.

Videos, shot by students, were shared with the news team, showing the extent of the fighting.

In them a large knot of boys is seen in multiple videos, some throwing punches, some kicking and pushing and some others trying in vain to separate their schoolmates. A lone white clad individual, possibly a security guard, is dragged along in the melee of fighting teens.  Some are seen brandishing what appears to be rocks, which could have been used as weapons.

There were several mobs where fights broke out; mostly boys but also girls involved.

By news production time, no news had come from police of any arrests made but the hospital resumed regular operations on Thursday morning around 9:30 a.m.

The brawl comes just weeks before the Reaching the Streets initiative which is aimed at tackling violence and criminal activities in teens and young adults.

KINGSTON, April 12 (JIS):

eLearning Jamaica Company Limited (e-LJAM) has partnered with local educational technology company, STEAMHouse, in hosting this year’s Crea+her Girls in ICT Hackathon, which began on April 11 and will end on April 16.

The virtual hackathon seeks to empower Caribbean girls aged 13 to 18 years to become leaders and accomplished professionals in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) industry.

Chief Executive Officer of e-LJAM, Andrew Lee, said the initiative allows participants to acquire skills through a hands-on approach.

“It is imperative that we actively engage girls to participate in STEM. Historically, girls have been under-represented in this field and, of course, this deprives us of diversity. Our females are extremely talented and when we include them, we get a broader perspective,” Mr. Lee told JIS News.

e-LJAM is the State agency with responsibility for promoting integration and infusion of technology in the public education system.

Founder of STEAMHouse, Godiva Golding, told JIS News that approximately 15 teams representing groups of three to five students signed up for the hackathon.

The participants are being guided to develop innovative solutions combining themes such as telecommunications, cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence, focusing on areas like education, environmental sustainability and preserving cultural heritage.

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Hackathon to empower…2

Their prototypes will be evaluated on April 18 and the top-10 creations will be presented on April 25, which is being recognised as International Girls in ICT Day under the theme ‘Leadership’.

Ms. Golding is pleased to have e-LJAM as the title sponsor for the hackathon and other events around International Girls in ICT Day.

“We could not think of a better partner than e-LJAM. They have been at the forefront and have done great work over the years. Having a partner with the leadership of Mr. Lee on board is just the icing on top to ensure that this is a successful series of events,” Ms. Golding said.

A special school tour will also be conducted. At least 500 girls are expected to benefit from this programme, which will offer interactive sessions and networking opportunities with accomplished women leaders in the technology field.

Additionally, the participants will have the chance to develop vital skills, such as public speaking, strategic thinking, and confidence-building.

CONTACT: ROCHEDA BARTLEY