Press "Enter" to skip to content

Hairstyle shouldn’t deprive a child of education, Holness awaits court’s written judgement

Following a recent ruling in the supreme court about a matter involving a 5-year-old girl being barred from a primary school for wearing dreadlocks, Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, has said that children should not be discriminated or denied their right to an education on the basis of a hairstyle.

Holness noted that while his administration was still awaiting the written judgement from the court, he said he had noted with “concern” the developments surrounding the case.

“While we await the written judgement to determine the basis of the ruling issued by our Supreme Court, which by media reports, have suggested that the child’s constitutional rights were not breached. This Government does not believe that there should be any law which could be interpreted to deny access to a citizen merely on the basis of their hairstyle,” said Holness

We have, as a rights-sensitive Government, always maintained that our children must not be discriminated against, nor deprived of their right to an education because of socio-economic issues – such inability to afford school fees, or socio-cultural issues such as their hairstyle,” added the PM .

The PM further stated that the Education Ministry had asserted over the years, that schools’ grooming rules must be rights-based, and that no student is to be prevented from admission or attendance at a public educational institution by reason of non-conformity with a school rule prohibiting a particular hairstyle in circumstances where the wearing of that hairstyle by the student is based on religious or health reasons.

“In the present context, this Government believes it is time to review and amend the Education Act to reflect a modern and culturally inclusive position that protects our children from being barred from any educational institution on the basis of wearing locks as an ordinary hairstyle irrespective of religious reasons,”said Holness.

According to the PM, he is “acutely aware of the importance of this issue” especially in an era of great social and political change that is awakening our consciousness of who we are as a people.

Holness stressed that he is committed to ensuring that every child is treated fairly within Jamaica’s education system and reiterated that his Government stands firmly against discrimination against any student on any basis.

Facebook Comments