Minister with responsibility for Education

Karl Samuda, says a new sexual harassment policy will soon be finalised for the

Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts.

The minister, who was responding to

questions posed by Opposition Spokesperson on Education, Peter Bunting, on the

matter, in the House on Tuesday (December 3), said a committee comprising a

wide cross section of stakeholders from the college, revised the institution’s

sexual harassment policy.

“The document has benefited from external

review and feedback from industrial relations specialists and the Board of

Directors. The feedback provided has been used to update the draft. The

document will be finalised by January 2020,” Samuda further explained.

Meanwhile, the minister informed that the board

has set up an email address to allow persons affected [by sexual harassment] to

submit their complaints.

“This address was independent of the school’s

management. Numerous complaints have been received via this medium. In

addition, several seminars were hosted with staff members to sensitise them to

issues concerning sexual harassment,” he said.

Samuda also informed that he will be appointing an external committee to do a separate investigation on all matters relating to the institution.

— JIS