Student stabbed in Panamanian school during minister's visit; second incident in a week

Violence has once again erupted within the walls of the Colegio José Guardia Vega in Colón, Panama, as an eleventh-grade student was stabbed during recess on Friday. This marks the second knife attack at the school in under a week, fueling alarm among parents and the local community.

The incident occurred inside a classroom while students were on break. Preliminary reports indicate the student was attacked with a bladed weapon. Authorities, including the National Police and the Judicial Investigation Directorate (DIJ), were dispatched to the scene to investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack.

Parents have voiced deep concerns about the safety of their children within the school premises. One parent lamented the lack of official information and the perceived inadequacy of security measures, stating, "The safety of those who want to study is in vain." Another expressed fear for their children's well-being, noting that "violence is already reaching the schools."

Adding to the tension, the attack happened while the Minister of Education, Lucy Molinar, was visiting the school. Molinar stated her intention to speak directly with students to understand the underlying reasons for such incidents. She acknowledged that the problem might be more complex than initially perceived, emphasizing that these acts do not reflect the majority of the province's "valuable young people."

Following the stabbing, students were evacuated and sent home. This event brings back grim memories, as the same school was the site of a similar stabbing incident involving multiple students last year, reigniting concerns about the escalating violence in educational institutions across Colón province.

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no representa esa gran mayoría de muchachos valiosísimos que tiene la provincia