Officials at the ministry of education are investigating the untimely passing of a six year old student on a school’s playground on Friday, September 19th.
The victim, identified as Vernal Williams Jr., was near a swing set when it fell and struck him in the head. Williams’ mother told ZNS News, “his heart has stopped and he wasn’t able to make it.”
Minister of Education and Technical and Vocational Training, the Hon. Glenys Hanna Martin told reporters on Monday that a full investigation is underway. She said, “we have a pre-school council that has oversight of pre-schools. I think they have conducted a preliminary investigation but we’re waiting for the police to understand exactly what exactly happened here.”
Hanna Martin continued saying, “in all of our educational institutions, whether public or private, we would wish to ensure that children, particularly small children, do not face these kinds of risks that would lead to an outcome that is just unimaginable.”
The National Accreditation and Equivalency Council of The Bahamas released a statement on Monday expressing condolences to the victim’s family. It said, “This incident serves as reminder of the importance of ensuring that every child is enrolled in a registered, safe and nurturing learning environment.”
The statement also encouraged parents to verify that the schools their children attend are registered and regulated.
