Principals association calls for ministry to be clear, consistent regarding schools' grooming policies

 

President of the Jamaica Association of Principals of Secondary Schools, Linvern Wright, has called for the Ministry of Education to be clear and consistent in relation to the grooming policies set by schools.

 

Mr. Wright is in support of the actions of the principal of Wolmer's Boys' School who is at the centre of an investigation for barring some students from sitting end of year exams on Monday because of a hairstyle infringement.

 

In a report in the Gleaner on Tuesday, Wolmer's Boys' School principal, Dwight Pennycooke, said an alternative assessment was arranged for the boys who were found in breach of the school's grooming protocols.

 

Mr. Pennycooke said none of the students sought exemptions on the grounds of religion.

 

In an interview with Radio Jamaica News on Tuesday morning, Mr. Wright expressed annoyance that the issue of hair grooming protocols was again being discussed publicly. 

 

"There's a rule in the Code of Regulations which says that a student shall obey all the rules of the school that he is attending. There's a document that came out from the ministry which says that the board should set grooming policies. What I want to be clear about is whether or not the ministry figures that these things still matter, because we cannot be sending the message of inconsistency. For me, if it is that grooming is not to be on our policy at school then they need to say it like that. And if it is that there is a principal who really, in their mind, is not doing what the policy says, speak to that principal. I don't know that it has to be as public as this, 'cause I don't even know if that kinda thing is widespread," he argued. 

 

In a media release on Monday, the Ministry of Education said hairstyles are not a hindrance to learning and should not be used to exclude students from school.

 

The ministry warned schools that the hairstyles of students should not prevent them sitting their exams.

 

But Mr. Wright said the Ministry of Education needs to explain clearly whether there should be one set of rules for teaching and another for examinations.

 

"If we're saying it's school and it's rules, we cannot have one rule for exam and one for school, and I think we also should expect a level of responsibility on our students.... When you're going for an interview, you don't go there anyhow and say that it is an interview so I am going to go anyhow although I was doing my training. You go to interview super prepared. And in my mind, I do not see why the examination should be different in terms of sticking to the rules," he contended.