Don’t Lock Out Students – Rev. Thwaites

Minister of Education, Hon. Rev. Ronald Thwaites, is appealing to schools not to turn away students, who breach dress or other codes.

He said they should be kept at school as a means of protecting them.

“I am appealing to principals and teachers…do not raise issues that will keep children out of school. Parents must make every effort to ensure that school rules are obeyed as far as uniform and deportment are concerned, but do not lock the child out of school if something is amiss. It causes more vulnerability, more danger if that is done,” he said.

He was addressing a ceremony to officially launch the new school year and open the Fidel Castro Campus of the Anchovy High School in Montpelier, St. James, on Friday, September 11.

Minister Thwaites also urged parents and school administrations to work together in order to ensure that children attend and remain in school.

“Right now, 20 per cent of our students are absent on any given day. That is not good enough. We must try and send our children to school every day…if you don’t have lunch money, send the child to school anyway and ask the teacher to help if you are on PATH (Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education) if you are in great need,” he said.

Meanwhile, Rev. Thwaites said the abundance of land at the Fidel Castro Campus should be utilised for the study of agriculture.

“Use the lands that are around here to good advantage. Use them to break down the prejudice that we still have in Jamaica that you are only brilliant if you are doctor, lawyer or Indian chief. Use it to speak to the aptitudes of our students, who learn through culture and sport, who learn through the use of technology, who learn by touching and doing things and experimenting with things,” he said.