Alleged intruders spark panic at Princeton High School

Panic broke out at Princeton High School on Thursday, September 4, when two boys, allegedly disguised in school uniform, entered the premises looking for a pupil who was absent that day, said Lentegeur police.

Station commander Colonel Umavathie Rameshwarneth said: “Rumours spread quickly that these two pupils had a gun. The children panicked, and parents arrived at the school demanding that it be closed and their children sent home.

Colonel Umavathie Rameshwarneth said there was speculation that the boys were armed gangsters, but this could not be confirmed. She said Lentegeur police members secured the area, and it was agreed that parents would meet the school governing body on Friday, September 5, to discuss the matter further.

When the Plainsman arrived at the scene, parents were already queuing outside with forms in hand to collect their children.

The principal declined to comment.

A mother, who asked to remain anonymous due to fear for her child's safety, said she rushed to the school after seeing a friend’s WhatsApp status.

“Allegedly, the Fancy Boys were on the school grounds and jumped over the walls. They were looking for a pupil. Parents had to sign a form to take their children out,” she said.

“I’m unwell and recovering, yet I had to collect my son. Nothing can be done about this; it’s the area we live in. The school is following the right protocol to protect the kids, but gangsters are targeting youngsters. The only way to avoid this is if you move to other areas,” she said.

Her son, a Grade 9 pupil, said: “I saw two guys, but I only saw one with a gun. He was running on the school grounds and waiting in front of the gate. I don’t want to come back to school.”

Another anonymous mother said she no longer wants her daughter to attend the school. Her Grade 9 daughter said: “This happened in our second period. I don’t like that this has happened. How can we remain safe? We’re in school, and crime is still happening. It’s so close now.”

Another mother, Shanté Daniels, said she also feels her son is no longer safe at Princeton High. “This is not the first time something like this has happened,” she said.

Her son, also in Grade 9, said: “I heard they came into the school. I just saw children running. I saw them wearing our school uniform.”

A Grade 11 pupil said she felt stressed and anxious after the ordeal.

“I saw a man in uniform, but he looked much older, maybe in his 30s, wearing a fez. I heard he showed pupils his gun. In the second period we heard they were looking for another boy. There was a lot of commotion. The Fancy Boys were looking for the Firm Boys,” she said.

She explained that the school went into lockdown around 9.30am.

“There were police vans and parents all over the school. I will come back next week, but I need a break. This school is not safe. They don’t search our bags the way they should,” she said.

Despite the chaos, matric pupils were not affected and were able to continue with their preliminary examinations, an anonymous Grade 12 pupil told the Plainsman.

WCED spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said an alleged threat led to precautionary safety measures, though it remains unclear if it was valid.

She stressed reports of gangsters entering or pupils with firearms were false. “Fake news caused parents to collect their children, but teaching and learning continued. Extra security was arranged for dismissal,” she said.