Education Ministry Backs Principals Enforcing School Discipline

Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, has assured principals that they will have the Ministry’s backing when they take appropriate steps to maintain discipline at school.

She said structured and orderly learning spaces are necessary for better student performance, and school administrators should be confident that the Ministry will support them as they fulfil their duties. The Minister indicated that she would publicly defend principals, particularly in matters involving discipline, and would not criticise schools for making disciplined environments a priority.

Dr. Morris Dixon urged administrators to operate within the relevant rules while continuing to establish proper standards of conduct. She described discipline in the nation’s schools as essential.

The Minister made the comments on Tuesday, July 14, while speaking at the Ministry’s Second Annual Region Six Principals’ Retreat 2026, held at Ocean Coral Spring Resort in Trelawny.

She recognised that educators are working in difficult conditions, including situations in which children are affected by troubled home lives and receive little support from their parents. Based on what she has observed during regular visits to schools, Dr. Morris Dixon said teachers encounter behavioural problems in classrooms every day.

She noted that students can spend as much as half a class period settling down, leaving teachers with only the remaining portion of the session to deliver lessons.

The Minister also identified weak parental participation as an important issue influencing academic performance. She said educators may attempt to engage parents without making progress, while some parents remain entirely absent from their children’s education despite expectations of strong results.

Dr. Morris Dixon further cautioned against assessing schools only by examination results. She said principals and teachers are achieving meaningful gains with children who must overcome a range of difficulties.

According to the Minister, those accomplishments should receive recognition. She said helping a student complete the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate, commonly known as CSEC, and leave school as a responsible citizen should be regarded as genuine progress.