Another call is being made for a revised national school grooming policy that removes the unilateral and final decision-making power from individual school administrators.

Advocacy Group, Fi We Children Foundation renewed the appeal, following reports that administrators at a primary school in St. Catherine confiscated students’ jackets during the cold front impacting the country.

The Foundation has condemned the action, which it says has understandably caused distress among parents.

Executive Founder Africka Stephens said the incident raises serious questions about the exercise of discretion in school grooming policy enforcement.

She noted that at a time when the physical well-being, dignity, and rights of Jamaica’s children must be prioritised, the Foundation is alarmed by actions that appear to disregard a school’s duty of care.

She said cold temperatures, though seasonal, pose real health risks to children, particularly younger students, and directly affect their comfort, concentration, and ability to learn.

She stressed that schools must be safe spaces, not environments where children are subjected to unnecessary physical discomfort as a form of rule enforcement.