THE education sector has been plunged in grief yet again after a teacher died during a workshop early yesterday afternoon.

Shenoria Hemmings Lee, language arts teacher at the Spanish Town High School in St Catherine, collapsed shortly after making a presentation at a National Standards Curriculum Workshop at Central High School in Clarendon. She was taken to May Pen Hospital where she was reported dead.

When the Jamaica Observer

contacted Spanish Town High School shortly after the incident happened, we were told that the principal was unavailable as grief counselling sessions were being held at the time.

“As the minister of education, I express condolence to the teacher’s immediate family and indeed the school family and friends and colleagues. It is a very sad day for education. We are grieving, and may her soul rest in peace,” said Minister of Education Senator Ruel Reid, who was informed about the teacher’s death just after returning from St Thomas, where he visited Robert Lightbourne High School at which a student was shot on Wednesday,

The Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA), in a statement, also extended condolence to the school and immediate family of the teacher.

JTA President Howard Isaacs said the association is extremely concerned about the number of teachers dying while on the job. He appealed to his colleagues to do what they can to avoid the deterioration of their health, and urged the Ministry of Education to meet with the JTA to discuss the welfare of teachers.

Hemmings Lee’s death comes just after the deaths of fellow teachers, 39-year-old Christopher Gayle of Kingston College, and Nadine Trail of Norman Manley High, who both died last month.