GRADE 12 EXAM INVIGILATOR INJURED IN KNIFE ATTACK IN HELA SCHOOL

CAPTION: Catholic education official Invigilator attacked by student. Supplied Picture

BY JORDON VELA
A Catholic education officer who was invigilating during the Grade 12 National Examination at St. Paul Komo Secondary School in Hela Province was attacked and injured after confiscating a student’s mobile phone on the third day of the exams on Wednesday 14th of October.

Hela Provincial Education Adviser caretaker Kiru Yawale said the student initially refused to remove the phone during the examination. After the invigilator confiscated it, the student left without entering the examination room.

About 20 minutes later, the student returned armed with a bush knife and chased the invigilators before attacking the officer, who had been assigned by the Catholic Education Agency to assist with examination supervision.

The injured officer was identified as Virgil Verave, a Catholic education official from Central Province who is based at the Catholic Education Office in Mendi, Southern Highlands Province.

Yawale said police arrested the student and Verave is receiving medical treatment.

Provincial authorities, senior officials in Hela and the Department of Education intervened to bring the situation under control.

Examinations continued at the school under heavy police security on Wednesday and Thursday, with security arrangements expected to remain in place for the final examination today Friday Oct. 16.

Yawale described the incident as unfortunate and said his account was based on information available at the time.