KINGSTON, Jamaica — Following reports that a student at Jamaica College was assaulted by peers on the school compound last week, the institution’s board of management has issued a statement seeking to clarify the circumstances, stressing that the matter is being treated with the highest level of seriousness.

The school came under public scrutiny after claims emerged that a student had been brutally beaten by a group of fourth- and fifth-form boys, with at least one student reportedly facing charges.

Describing the incident as “serious and regrettable”, the board said its findings, based on contemporaneous accounts, including a handwritten statement from the injured student and several eyewitness reports, differ significantly from the version presented in the media.

While noting that it does not usually disclose witness statements during ongoing investigations, the board said it was making an exception in this case due to what it considers a misleading portrayal of events.

According to the school, the incident began when one student (Boy 1) dropped a $2,000 note while heading to the lunch area. It said another student (Boy 2) called out to alert him, but a third student (Boy 3) mistakenly believed the money was his and picked it up.

The board said Boy 1 reportedly demanded the money back, leading to a verbal dispute and “pushing and pulling” as Boy 3 initially resisted. However, Boy 3 reportedly later acknowledged the mistake and returned the money, stating in his written account: “I said it was a misunderstanding and I thought it was mine. I handed it over.”

The board said tensions escalated after the exchange. Boy 3 reported that he was struck in the face while walking away and responded by throwing his food. However, he said he was punched again, resulting in a broken nose.

Eyewitnesses reported that the altercation involved only Boy 1 and Boy 3, and that other students intervened to separate them. The board emphasised that there was no evidence of a group assault.

“At no time in his written contemporaneous statement did Boy 3 suggest that he was attacked and beaten up by bullies or that he had a fight with anyone other than Boy 1,” the statement noted.

The school also clarified that both students are in fourth form, with Boy 3 being older.

It added that staff responded promptly after being alerted, with the Dean of Discipline and the school nurse attending to the injured student and contacting his mother. Established procedures were followed, including interviews and ongoing communication with the family, the board said.

The board rejected suggestions that the incident reflects a wider culture of bullying at the school, stating that there has been no report from either the student or his mother alleging such behaviour.

It also refuted a claim attributed to the mother that there are “brutal fights daily” at the school, indicating that it intends to seek justification for that allegation.

The board further criticised the use of a general comment from the school’s principal in a media report, which it said was edited in a “misleading way”, and questioned the timing and framing of the report.

“While the board respects the role of the media, reporting on matters of this nature must be grounded in verified facts, balanced context and careful consideration of legal and ethical obligations,” the statement added.