A decision by some schools to lock out tardy students has not gone well with state minister in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information Alando Terrelonge, who says it is not only counterproductive, but a violation of children’s rights.

In at least two videos being circulated on social media, students are seen standing outside of the gates to Camperdown High School in Kingston and Spanish Town High School in St Catherine.

In one of the videos, a group of Spanish Town High students is seen standing in the rain. It has since evoked criticism on social media platforms Twitter and Facebook.

Yesterday, Terrelonge told the Jamaica Observer that this was not the policy of the Ministry of Education or the Government.

“At this moment we’ve seen video clips of students locked out of school. We’ve also seen video clips of students locked out of school during the pouring rain. Obviously, this is something the ministry will investigate. We have spoken to our educational officers and we’re awaiting a report on the matter,” Terrelonge said.

He argued that there “is absolutely no rationale for locking students out of school” and said the move is in breach of the education ministry’s guidelines.

A 2015 bulletin from the ministry on safety and security forbids school administrators from restricting students’ access to school compounds.

“The Ministry of Education has received a number of reports from parents and other stakeholders who complain that school administrators are consistently locking students outside of schools as punishment for lateness and breaches to school uniforms, for example. Chairmen of school boards, principals and other school administrators are directed to desist from this practice which deprives students of instructional time and increases the probability of abduction or digression that may result in harm or loss,” the bulletin read.

It went on to say that the practice puts schools and the State in violation of a number of legislative framework including the Child Care and Protection Act of Jamaica.

“…These established pillars of child rights will result in the appropriate actions taken by the ministry,” the bulletin outlined.

Terrelonge said while students should be held accountable for tardiness, and are expected to make it to school on time, there are several variables at play which should be taken into consideration.

“When one considers our children’s fundamental right to education, certainly locking them out of school is counterproductive to this basic human right. It is counterproductive to the sustainable development goals that speak to education and poverty. You are locking the students out in the pouring rain. I don’t think that is discipline, I think that is cruel and inhumane treatment and it has no place in a civilised society,” he said.

“When one factors in rain, traffic, unavailability of transportation, we don’t have a system where there is a set timetable to say ‘well, there is a bus at 7:15 [am]’ and so on. There are also children who have to do morning chores, so children have to depend on their parents to take them. Parents might be running a little late. In other words, there are so many variables,” the minister said.

“I understand the need for discipline, I understand the need for punctuality, and I understand that we must prepare our children for the world, however, when we speak of discipline we have to remember that we have to adopt positive measures to discipline our children. Draconian measures must never be used to humiliate, embarrass, shame or otherwise degrade or dehumanise our children. There are some persons who would go as far as saying that this is administrative violence against our children,” Terrelonge added.

He said that legislators are in the process of amending the Education Act and Regulations to address this and other issues.

The Observer contacted Spanish Town High but was told that the principal was unavailable to speak. The vice-principal was also said to be unavailable.

Camperdown Principal Valentine Bailey, when contacted, said that the school reinstituted the policy to restrict students’ access to the school compound for tardiness at the beginning of the academic term.

Bailey said the move has since caused a “significant” reduction in the number of students arriving late for school.

He said before reinstituting the policy, on average approximately 100 students arrived late for school daily.

Bailey explained to the Observer that classes begin at 8:00 am and the school gate is closed at 8:30 am.

He said students who arrive late are “processed” at 9:00 am and admission at that time is dependent on the reasons given for being late.

“Some are let in, and for others, parents are called and they are sent home. Based on what is said, some are sent home. Sometimes some of the parents tell us to send them home. We have people who live too near coming to school late every day,” Bailey said.

He noted that despite the ministry’s bulletin, schools must deal with the reality on the ground.

“Since we have resumed the closing of the gate the numbers have declined significantly because nobody wants to stay outside. They don’t want to stay out there until we process them, so they come early. So there is a system in place and we have a truancy monitor who does that every single morning,” Bailey said.

“The ministry must wake up. A lot of the kids, because they are told that the school can’t close the gate, they take their sweet time at the bus stops. They go and buy food and then they saunter to school. Now, I don’t know any self-respecting high school that allows students to waltz through the gate at 10:30 am and 11:00 am. That, to me, makes no sense,” he said.