And in other news...
At the start of almost every school year, there is controversy regarding students' hair. Schools would sometimes send home groups of students, which is against MOE's policy. Well, today, the ministry along with other stakeholders, met in order to streamline these policies and regulations. Outside the House of Representatives, the Minister of Education told us more about it.
Oscar Requena, Minister of Education
"We had a very good meeting. Several stakeholders were present at the meeting. We had a very good discussion, a platform on which we agreed that there are certain concerns that students, parents, and educators have in relation to the grooming of the hair, among other concerns."
"And essentially, what we established as a group is that there is urgent need to review the existing school rules, the policies, with a view to creating a platform where the whole issue of student grooming, hair policy, and so on can be developed in a way that it is going to take into account essential values for our students, essentially promoting important life skills and values that are not going to infringe on the rights of any child in relation to the hair or any other consideration."
Reporter
"Once that review is done across all schools, I don't know what form it will take."
Oscar Requena, Minister of Education
"Well, as I said, that is why we convene a working group. Obviously, this is a work in progress. We will have to continue the discussions."
"There's a lot of work that will have to be done to ensure that we can advance this process, taking into account all the concerns of the various stakeholders."
The stakeholders present included YaYa Marin Coleman of the UBAD Educational Foundation; Nadia Caliz, President of the Belize National Teachers' Union; Marshall Nunez, Disabilities Desk Coordinator; and Cynthia Pitts of the Human Rights Commission.
