Dear Editor,

Mr Franklin Johnston’s column of Friday, March 8, 2013 is offensive and does both him and me a disservice.

I first became acquainted in a concrete way with the matter of adolescent pregnancy when I was asked to open the dining area of the Women’s Centre Foundation of Jamaica (WCFJ) in 2010. I have travelled to the ICPD Conference of Parliamentarians on Population and Development and during the course of my subsequent research determined that this was an issue which I wished to champion.

I have been aware of work being done on the matter of reintegration. In fact, I have heard that as far back as 2005 a submission was made to the Ministry of Education (MOE) by a students’ union association, asking the ministry to look at this matter.

I understand the WCFJ and various other women’s agencies have advocated for this law to change from even further back without success. Ms Olivia Grange had established an inter-agency committee under her ministry to look at the issue when she was minister, and I have been told that the education ministry was looking at this issue as part of its policy review which, I understand, had started under Minister Holness.

I was concerned that with all this advocacy over the years and the obvious impact on society, this matter had never reached Parliament. I was also concerned that the ministry might not actually address the issue when it completed its review or that it might not decide to change the law.

I still don’t know what the MOE’s position is on the reintegration of pregnant girls into the formal school system. I had no idea that the issue would get the public support which it did, and I have been pleased and encouraged by it.

If your mean-spirited and baseless commentary is anything to go by, however, I do hope that it means that the ministry is planning to change the law to ensure that all Jamaican girls have a right to complete their formal education, and are not to be marginalised to the options of only CAP or school-leaving certificates. They are entitled to complete their formal education — it would/will be a good decision for Jamaica’s development prospects.

I invite you to check Hansard for June 2012 where you will read my presentation on adolescent sexual health and reproductive issues, including my call for this change to policy, the tabling of the parenting support bill and a new approach to family planning outreach.

After my presentation, persons encouraged me to break out the issues into separate motions for debate, which I am in the process of doing (research takes time). The next will be on the Parenting Support Commission asking that it be supported in the budget. Coincidence? Leaked information? No. The budget is coming up and I would like to advocate for resources.

I do my own research, but also provide a stipend to one or two young persons (unconnected with MOE or any other MDA) to assist me with issues from time to time. I wish I had contacts in the ministry; it might make my research work easier. I do not get scripts from anyone; I draft all of my own motions and presentations (again, wouldn’t it be easier otherwise?)

I look forward to Mr Johnston’s personal written apology and the apology of the Observer.

Senator Kamina Johnson Smith