SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth – Senior students at the residential Sydney Pagon Agricultural High School were sent home Tuesday after creating what principal Blansford Henry described as “frenzy and pandemonium” on the school campus located at Elim in North East St Elizabeth.

Henry told the Observer in a telephone interview that the “more than 100” senior students had been asked to return to the school on Monday accompanied by their parents.

The principal said he was forced to call the police to the campus at “minutes to seven” on Monday evening after a dispute between students turned ugly. Henry said when the police – at his request – visited the dormitories, senior students, described as being in the 18-20 age group, sought to hinder the law officers by unscrewing light bulbs.

According to Henry, more disturbances followed the departure of the police party. Tuesday morning students took their protests a step further by padlocking the gates on the dormitories, he said.

Henry alleged that some first-year students who attempted to leave the dorms were beaten by senior students.

The principal said the gates were finally opened at “minutes to nine” Tuesday morning after the intervention of a senior police officer from Santa Cruz and the arrival of television cameras.

“The management of the school then decided to send home all senior students in order to prevent a worsening of the situation,” he said, adding that junior students will attend counselling sessions and regular classes for the rest of this week.