Ministry knew of Ascot Primary graduation gown plan before June 25 ceremony

Jamaica's Education Ministry knew before Ascot Primary School's June 25 graduation that the Portmore institution planned to treat students differently based on their 2026 PEP performance, yet the ceremony still went ahead. Students who were not considered proficient were made to attend the school-leaving exercise in uniform, while classmates judged to have achieved academic excellence were allowed to wear gowns, sparking anger among parents and public criticism from the ministry.

A parent had reportedly written on June 15 to the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information and to the chairman of the school's board under the subject line "urgent intervention required discriminatory graduation policy and intimidation of parents". The complaint said what should have been a celebration had become a source of distress and alleged discrimination, intimidation and breaches of ministry policy. According to the letter, the principal told parents, "All students will graduate in their uniforms. Only those students who have achieved academic excellence will wear gowns."

The parent also alleged that objections to the plan were discouraged. One parent was quoted as saying the policy was biased and damaging because it publicly ranked children. Another argued that no child should be excluded or humiliated because of academic performance. In a statement issued on Sunday, the ministry condemned the school's approach as inappropriate and said it was inconsistent with equity, inclusion and positive discipline, but it did not disclose that officials had already been alerted before the event.

When contacted on Tuesday, ministry officials reportedly acknowledged that they had known of the planned arrangement before the ceremony and had asked the principal not to proceed, although efforts to get an on-record explanation were unsuccessful. The principal later told the ministry the decision was never intended to humiliate students and apologised "where any of my students have been wounded or scarred". Education Minister Senator Dr Dana Morris Dixon said every child matters and no student's PEP results should determine whether that child feels worthy of celebrating an important educational milestone.