EDUCATION, Youth and Information Minister Senator Ruel Reid says a grooming policy for schools will come into effect when the 2018/19 academic year begins in September.

He says the ministry has signed off on the policy that will provide guidelines to assist administrators and parents in determining the acceptability, appropriateness and suitability of students’ general appearance for school, particularly in relation to how hair is worn.

“The law allows the school to set rules, and then you are required to abide by them. Part of the guideline is to say to schools, they must review their rules so that they conform to the laws of the Constitution and they must engage their stakeholders so that they can all agree about what rules are reasonable,” Senator Reid said.

He was speaking at a ministry sensitisation session at the Montego Bay High School auditorium in St James last Thursday.

Senator Reid encouraged parents and other stakeholders to view the full policy on the ministry’s website at www.moe.gov.jm.

Additionally, he anticipates that schools administrators will collaborate with Parent-Teachers Associations (PTA) to ensure consensus among all parties on policies being embarked on.

The sensitisation session was also used to discuss the Primary Exit Profile (PEP), the provision of metal detectors in school, the expanded pilot rural school bus programme, the proposed nutrition policy, and commencement of the seven-year secondary programme, which is slated to begin in the upcoming academic year.