Five teachers die in seven days

The education sector has been hit by the sudden deaths of five teachers in seven days this month.

Education Minister Fayval Williams gave the count in a statement on Tuesday in which she expressed “deep sadness” and extended condolences to the immediate families and school communities of the deceased teachers.

“These passings have been tragic blows to their families ,” Williams said, adding that “the sudden death of our teachers whose dedicated service covered the primary to the tertiary level has also been a big shock to the education system”.

Among those who have passed are Gregory Williams, mathematics lecturer at the Portmore Community College in St Catherine; Antoinette Banton-Ellis, principal of Vere Technical High School in Clarendon; Ann Marie Johnson Lindo, viceprincipal of Duncans All-Age School in Trelawny; Carlos Gordon, a grade six teacher of One Way Prep School in St Andrew; and Donnalee Wright of Tarrant High School in St Andrew.