Schools Encouraged to Discuss Draft Policy on Dress and Grooming

Minister of Education and Youth, Hon. Fayval Williams, is encouraging schools to hold discussions about the draft policy on dress and grooming.

The policy was recently published on the Ministry’s website for stakeholders to provide feedback.

“We have been encouraging our schools to have a collaborative approach with our parents, our teachers, our students, in terms of rules. We know that when all the stakeholders sit around the table and discuss and come to consensus, there will be greater adherence to the rules. So, we are fully expecting that to play out in our schools,” Mrs. Williams said.

She was addressing Thursday’s (September 7) National Parent-Teacher Association of Jamaica (NPTAJ) General PTA Meeting, which had just over 1,000 participants in attendance.

Mrs. Williams said the Ministry is optimistic that “at the end of the day, we [will] get to a place where there is consensus around this and we see adherence to the policy”.

“Your suggestions, your critique and your feedback are important to us. I listen and where we can make changes, we will move to do so,” she added.

The draft policy is a general guide for schools and establishes a framework for treating with dress and grooming, taking into consideration cultural identity, climate, the socio-economic situations of parents and the aims of educational institutions.

It can be viewed at https://moey.gov.jm/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/draft_student_dress_gromming_august_24s_2023.pdf