Parents locked out of schools

The National Parent-Teacher Association of Jamaica is alleging that parents are being locked out of some parent places located at schools in western Jamaica.

Parent places serve as resource centres, offering parental education, early literacy intervention and provides other life skills, training and certification.

“Many of these parents who are in need of parental support are been locked out of parent places by principals,” Maxine Green-Butler, vice-president of the association, said.

She was speaking at a regional parenting stakeholders meeting in Montego Bay, St James, recently.

“Where the parent places are concerned, I notice that some parents don’t have access to them. Yes, they are there at the schools, but they are closed,” Green-Buttler told the WESTERN STAR. “I am not saying that all schools in Jamaica that have parent places are doing so, but there are a few schools where the parent places are there, but they remain closed.”

Green-Butler said it is very tedious to operate a parent place in Region Four, which covers the parishes of St James, Hanover and Westmoreland, because of the poor attitude of some principals towards parents.

“I am not going to call any names as to the schools that have locked out parents by closing the doors of their parent places, but honestly, it’s all over Jamaica, so I am not going to say it’s just western Jamaica. There are schools all over Jamaica that do have parent places that are closed,” she said.

Kaysia Kerr, chief executive officer of the National Parenting Support Commission, told the WESTERN STAR that the allegations will be thoroughly investigated.