The Tribune

By ANNELIA NIXON

TRIBUNE Business Reporter

anixon@tribunemedia.net

THE Government’s top education official yesterday clarified that parents are not obliged to purchase uniforms from public schools, while conceding some institutions failed to follow established policy on uniform changes after retailers complained they were left with unsellable inventory.

Dominique McCartney-Russell, director of education, said the ministry has already met with the leadership of two schools and one uniform supplier after concerns surfaced over schools encouraging parents to purchase official shirts directly from campuses.

“We would have had a meeting with two of those schools already, the leadership of those schools,” she said. “We would have also had a meeting with one of the uniform suppliers.” Ms McCartney-Russell acknowledged there had been “missteps” in how the schools handled the changes.

“We’ve given our school leadership some advice in regards to the uniform policy, and in regards to ensuring that when there is a change, there is a process,” she said. “We normally have a process, and that process includes meeting with parents, ensuring that parents are aware and they agree to the change.

“We also ask schools to meet with the uniform suppliers, to give them a heads-up and not just a one-week heads up. Normally we try to give more than a year’s advance notice. And so there were some missteps, and so we are regrouping with those leadership to ensure that they follow the ministry’s policy in regards to uniform. But we’re not in the business of selling uniforms. And so that is the message that we are saying to our team leaders.”

Ms McCartney-Russell also stressed that parents must remain free to purchase uniforms from any supplier. “We’ve asked our team members to ensure that parents have the option to purchase wherever they want to purchase those uniforms from,” she said. “And so, no, they’re not obligated to purchase any uniforms from any school.”

The ministry’s intervention follows concerns voiced by James Wallace, owner of Janaees Uniform Centre, who argued that schools were venturing into private business at the expense of retailers that invest months in advance to stock school uniforms.

“We’re extremely disappointed with that,” Mr Wallace said. He explained that suppliers typically place orders almost a year before the school year begins, and can be left with inventory that cannot be resold if schools abruptly alter uniform requirements.

“L.W. Young told us on July 17 that they were going to discontinue an item that we have been carrying for them for the past 20 years, and there’s absolutely nothing we can do with that item,” he said. “We’re extremely disappointed. We’ve had an audience with the minister [Chester Cooper] and we’ve asked him to have a look at it.”

Mr Wallace added that embroidered school crests prevent retailers from redirecting stock to other schools. “Some schools have crests embroidered into the garments,” he said.

“If it’s embroidered into the garments, it cannot be used for another school. It’s exclusively for that school. So unless the school uses the inventory, there’s nothing we can do with it.”

Mr Wallace said he met with Chester Cooper, deputy prime minister, who is also responsible for the Ministry of Education. “His initial reaction is that education is in the business of education, not in the business of uniforms,” he said. “So he may have been surprised by what has happened or what is happening.”

Mr Wallace also questioned whether schools have the capacity to operate retail outlets just weeks before classes resume. “August 17 is two weeks before school opens,” he said. “How are they going to administer to a school that has thousands of students in it in two weeks and still be ready to open school?”

Mr Wallace argued the issue extends beyond a single retailer, saying at least five other major uniform suppliers also serve the affected schools. “We are concerned for people who are in the uniform business,” he said. “This is not unique to Janaees. There are five other uniform suppliers, major uniform suppliers in this country, that supply that school as well.”

He also raised questions over whether schools selling uniforms are complying with the same regulatory requirements imposed on private businesses.

“From a government revenue standpoint, is this VAT-free or is this a VAT-able transaction? From the Business Licence authority, are they meeting the threshold to require the Business Licence to do this? There’s all sorts of things that raise questions. Is this legal? Do they have the licence to do this?” Mr Wallace asked.

“The street vendors are required to go through a process to get Business Licences, so how did this get through the school system, and who approved it?” Mr Wallace said suppliers have already invested significant time and money preparing inventory for the upcoming academic year.

“If we don’t have the item sold for that particular school, we’ve lost all the money and time and effort we’ve invested in it, which we started from October 2025, to be ready for school opening,” he said.

“The school is suggesting that they’re going to have the items ready on August 17. School opens on August 30. They’re not ready.”

A screenshot obtained by Tribune Business from L.W. Young Golden Eagles’ Facebook page, which has since apparently been removed, instructed parents to purchase official shirts directly from the school to ensure “uniformity of colour and style:”.

The post said shirts with the school crest would be available from August 17 at $25 each, or $28 for extra large sizes and above, and advised parents that “no embroidered crests” should be added independently.

Meanwhile, H.O. Nash Junior High School also advertised embroidered official shirts for sale through its school office, listing separate Grade 9 and Grades 7-8 designs priced at $35 each.