KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information has expressed sadness at the killing of a teacher in St Catherine and the injuring of a male teen in a shooting incident on Wednesday morning.

Police reports are that 35-year-old Clevon Campbell and a teenage boy were shot about 3:00 am at their home in the parish. Campbell died while the teen is now in hospital nursing gunshot wounds.

Campbell was a grade six teacher at Belmont Park Primary School. The identity of the teenager has not been released.

The ministry says Campbell was an excellent educator who loved teaching.

Minister without Portfolio Karl Samuda says he is deeply troubled the news of Campbell’s murder on the day that is set to recognise the hard work and sacrifice of the nation’s teachers. He expressed his condolences to the family of Campbell and his colleagues and peers at Belmont Park Primary School. The minister said he is also praying for the speedy recovery of the teen who was injured.

Samuda says he has been told that Campbell was so passionate about his job that he would stay at school after hours just to ensure that his work was complete and that his students were given the attention they needed to prepare for the Primary Exit Profile. That, he said, is a testament to the calibre of work he produced.

Principal of the institution, Roy John-Keith said Campbell was a resourceful person, who was willing to serve whenever he was called on for assistance. He said the teacher would sometimes purchase lunches for students who were in need and although he was stern he was well loved by his pupils.

He noted that the teaching profession has suffered greatly following the loss of the educator.

The ministry sent its grief counsellors to the institution at 7:30 Wednesday morning to support staff and students especially the boys, who are said to be having a difficult time accepting the news. The ministry said it will continue to offer its support in the coming days by maintaining the grief counselling sessions at the school.