ST JAMES, Jamaica —Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dana Morris Dixon, is encouraging parents to remain actively engaged in their children’s lives after they transition to high school, stressing that the teenage years are a critical period when young people need parental guidance and support the most.

Speaking during the Ministry’s Second Annual Region Six Principals’ Retreat at the Ocean Coral Spring Resort in Trelawny on Tuesday, Morris Dixon noted that many parents become less involved in their children’s education after they complete the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examinations, despite the fact that students often encounter increasing social and academic challenges as they transition to high school.

She pointed out that the ministry has been closely monitoring truancy among secondary school students, including those who have not returned to school since Hurricane Melissa, noting that attendance remains a concern.

Senator Morris Dixon disclosed that she has received reports of students frequenting food establishments during school hours instead of attending classes.

“In [Region six] I get people calling me to talk about children at food establishments throughout the day and not at school. They’re all over the road and not at school,” the minister said.

Morris Dixon stressed that addressing the issue will require a collaborative effort involving parents, communities, and business establishments.

“It is a conversation we have to have about what parents are doing and also what business establishments are doing. Because why should a child, in the middle of the school day, be at a food establishment? There is no reason for them to be there,” she maintained.

The minister disclosed that she has already initiated discussions with mayors on possible interventions aimed at improving school attendance.

Senator Morris Dixon added that the Government will also explore whether additional measures are needed to deter individuals and businesses from facilitating truancy.

She emphasised that while examination results remain an important measure of performance, the public should also acknowledge the challenges schools face in keeping vulnerable students engaged and supporting them on the path to success.

-JIS