PRINCIPALS WHO bar students from school because of grooming infractions may face sanctions under the draft national grooming policy.
Minister of Education and Youth, Fayval Williams, said the draft policy is being disseminated to schools and the ministry is considering penalties against schools that breach the guidelines once it has been finalised.
“With the draft policy in place as soon as we finalise it, we’re going to have to think about that (sanctions) because you’re putting children in danger when you lock them out. You are denying them education as well,” she said.
The draft grooming policy will serve as the benchmark against which school administrations ought to formulate grooming rules.
Speaking at a post-Cabinet press briefing yesterday, the minister emphasised that it is not a policy of the Ministry of Education to lock out or send home children who show up to school and are not in 100 per cent compliance with school rules.
The draft policy, which is the result of a consultative process among education stakeholders, aims to reduce discriminatory practices regarding hairstyles and other grooming rules, while at the same time, addressing the need for discipline and adherence to societal values at the school level.
The Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network (JYAN), in urging vigilance of the grooming policy, had called for sanctions to be laid against “rogue” schools who do not adhere.
“This policy must go much further than provide guidelines but strict rules of adherence for institutions with stated penalties. The standard in our public-education sector must be of respect for diversity in religious, ethno-cultural practices, and expressions,” its executive director, Shannique Bowden, said in a statement.
The minister reiterated that schools should utilise other forms of punishment for students who breach schools grooming rules.
“We have to change behaviour. You have to ensure as school leaders you are consultative in all that you do, so get the buy-in from parents who can monitor and ensure that their children show up. We have in-school activities that students can do. Ghere may be detention, or something like that. But there are other ways, other than the drastic lock out of students from schools,” she said.
