ST JAMES, Jamaica — Minister of Education and Youth, Fayval Williams, has revealed that she is awaiting a report from the board of the St James High School in relation to a matter where it has been reported that two grade 10 female students at the institution have been expelled, allegedly for kissing.

Williams was responding to a query from reporters on Tuesday when she explained that a probe is to be launched into the matter as it continues to make rounds in regular and social media outlets.

This comes following calls from a mother of one of the involved students who claims her daughter was not granted due process in relation to the expulsion received.

“If you look at the education regulations it clearly lays out the process to be followed. In this situation based on what we’ve heard the mother say, it appears that those steps were not followed,” she said.

“So now, it comes back to the board to do their investigation to determine what was done or not done and then the board will have all the information from all sides to be able to make rational decision about how the board moves forward with regards to any disciplinary action that may or may not be needed,” Minister Williams continued.

The student, whose parent went to the media to air her grouse, has since been transferred to a private institution where she is now enrolled in the ninth grade after missing three months of school from January 15 to April 15 when she again returned to class.

Despite a three-month gap, the minister said the matter was only recently brought to her attention but assured the matter will be dealt with in accordance with the regulations that exist.

“I’ve heard the story but I know what the procedure should be and in listening to the board chairman, either yesterday or this morning, he understands that there needs to be an investigation and that report has to come to the board,” she said.

Therefore, according to Williams, she is unable to provide an informed comment on the matter until the investigation is complete and a report brought to her attention.

“I can’t pre-empt the investigation, we just have to wait to see because remember there is the parent side, the principal side, there are the two students who are involved so we are just going to have to allow the board to convene and get that process underway and then to make a determination as to what are the next steps,” she said.

A meeting of the school board is scheduled to be held in short order although she said she was unable to provide the exact date.

“I understand from speaking with the chairman that a board meeting will be happening very soon and so I would expect to begin to learn what are the steps the board is taking in this process,” she said.

The minister is therefore urging patience from individuals as the investigative process continues.

“We have rules for a reason, it’s for order in the education system but we also should avoid jumping to conclusions when we hear of these situations because based on my experience so far, many a times what comes to me versus what’s in a report after an investigation, there is a gap, there is a difference,” she said.

“I have learned to wait on the process. Sometimes it may take a little longer than I would like it to take but inevitably, at the end of that, you will have the facts in front of you to make a justifiable decision in which you will go forward with,” she continued.