Shanice Eduh-Duncan (right) greets Bianca Bailey after their graduation at the Wolmer's Pre-School 14th prize-giving ceremony at the institution in St. Andrew on Tuesday. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

Shelly-Ann Thompson, Staff Reporter

It is the graduation season and some parents are questioning why their infants, some only ages four and six, are stipulated to wear potentially costly white dresses or pantsuits for the ceremony.

One mother, Marcia Henry, yesterday complained to The Gleaner that, for the past few weeks, she has been on a search for an affordable white dress for her six-year-old daughter who is graduating from a basic school in the Corporate Area.

Ms. Henry noted that, so far, most of the white dresses she has seen cost from $2,500 to as much as $8,000 each.

"It is expensive and time consuming, as well, to have her graduate, but I would feel terrible if my daughter doesn't walk to the podium," Ms. Henry said.

Another parent, Anna Thomas of St. Catherine, is rejoicing that her six-year-old daughter's school requests that the children graduate in uniform.

"They used to graduate in dress and shoes but they find out that most parents cannot afford it so they cut it out about two years ago," Ms. Thomas said.

The mother, however, explained that a few parents objected when the school decided to have the children graduate in their uniform.

"I was so astonished," Ms. Thomas said.

Welcomed excitement

"But, some parents like the excitement that their daughter has on the prettiest dress or their son's suit looks the best, or that their child's outfit come from foreign," she added.

Ms. Thomas' daughter is graduating next week and she only paid $1,000, which covers a picture package, corsage and graduation cap and gown.

Still, one parent, Rory Brown, whose four-year-old son graduated yesterday from a Kingston-based preparatory school, does not think it bothersome to have children graduate in cute dresses or pants attire.

Mr. Brown paid approximately $2,000 for his son's pair of black shoes, $800 for the pants and $500 for the shirt that came with a bow tie.

"I don't see anything wrong with that, it doesn't cost much," he added.

At the same time, Karren Hurst, principal of Smart Kids in Passagefort, St. Catherine, claimed that, since the school's inception three years ago, a decision was made for school leavers to graduate in uniforms complemented by a cap and gown.

"We know there is a cost to this particular type of graduation and parents have complained about it," Ms. Hurst said.

Sylvester Anderson, president of the National Parent-Teacher Association of Jamaica, has advised parents finding the gradua-tions particularly costly, not to have their toddlers graduate.

"Don't let any institution force you to, if you can't afford it," Mr. Anderson said.

He reminded parents that schoolfees, books and uniform are much more important to a child's education than graduating in expensive attire.

What he referred to as the 'silly season', Mr. Anderson said the phenomenon of infants graduating in pretty white dresses and black pants with bow ties began a few years ago.

"I don't know where this culture came from but it is something that is happening throughout the country," Mr. Anderson said.

shelly-ann.thompson@gleanerjm.com