KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Education and Youth, Fayval Williams, has “strongly condemned” the alleged sexual assault of a female student at the Oracabessa High School in St Mary, on Monday.

“I am heartbroken by reports that a student at the Oracabessa High School … was sexually assaulted. I have instructed that counselling be provided to the student and members of her immediate family. I have also ordered a speedy and thorough investigation into the matter of the alleged assault,” Williams said in a statement Friday.

She noted that officers of the Child Protection and Family Services Agency, an agency of the education ministry, have since visited the school and started their investigations.

Williams underscored that schools must be safe spaces for students and teachers, in order for teaching and learning to take place unhindered.

She said the Ministry’s Region 2 which has particular responsibility for schools in Portland, St Thomas and St Mary, has been asked to identify additional ways in which security can be improved at the school.

As first reported by the Jamaica Observer, the student was found lying naked and unconscious on the floor of a bathroom at the school about 4:00 Monday afternoon by another student while classes were still being conducted.

She was reportedly found with bruises on one of her arm and legs.

As outrage intensifies over the incident, the victim’s family has opted to pull her from the public education system.

“The family is fearful that, if she is sent to another school the incident may happen again,” a spokesperson told the Jamaica Observer on condition of anonymity Thursday, adding that the child will be home-schooled as she remains severely traumatised.

The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), in the meantime, confirmed that it has received a report of the incident.

“As a principle, we don’t give public information about rape cases in relation to children… We don’t give details about it. The most I can tell you is that we have received a report and the matter is being investigated,” said Senior Superintendent Stephanie Lindsay, head of the JCF’s Corporate Communications Unit.

She added that she is not aware of anyone being arrested in connection with the incident. It is also not yet clear if the perpetrator is enrolled at the school where the young girl was allegedly attacked.

A source close to the victim’s family, earlier this week, stated that a male attired in khaki uniform reportedly held a pair of scissors to the student’s neck and forced her into a bathroom where he allegedly raped her during the school’s afternoon shift. She was eventually taken to Port Maria Hospital for treatment.