Morris Dixon Backs Principals Taking Firm Action on School Discipline

Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr Dana Morris Dixon, has promised to support school principals who take appropriate steps to maintain discipline.

She said structured and well-managed classrooms are necessary for better student achievement. According to the minister, principals should be assured that the ministry will support them while they properly perform their duties.

Dr Morris Dixon indicated that she is prepared to publicly defend school leaders, particularly in disputes involving disciplinary action. She said she would not criticise a school for making discipline a priority.

While reminding administrators to operate within established rules, the minister described the development of disciplined school environments as essential.

She delivered the remarks on Tuesday during the Ministry of Education's Second Annual Region Six Principals' Retreat 2026, held at Ocean Coral Spring Resort in Trelawny.

Dr Morris Dixon recognised that educators frequently work in difficult conditions. She said some students are dealing with troubled home situations, while their parents or guardians provide little involvement in their education.

The minister said her regular visits to schools have allowed her to personally observe the behavioural problems teachers manage each day. In some classrooms, she noted, students can take half of a teaching period to become settled, leaving educators with only the remaining time to deliver lessons.

She also identified inadequate parental participation as an important issue affecting students' academic performance. Attempts by educators to engage some parents produce no response, she said, even though schools are still expected to achieve strong results.

Dr Morris Dixon argued that examination results should not be the only standard used to assess schools. She said principals and teachers are achieving meaningful gains with children who face a range of personal and educational difficulties.

The minister called for those efforts to receive greater recognition. She said helping a student complete the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate, commonly known as CSEC, and leave school as a responsible citizen should also be regarded as progress.