Jamaica teachers fool authorities

Earlier this week, authorities in Jamaica had complained that the system would have been short by at least 430 teachers who had resigned positions to mostly work for better salaries overseas, but with schools set to reopen next week, the real picture is beginning to emerge about how many are actually feeling the country.

Minister for Education Fayval Williams said Thursday that the more accurate numbers are beginning to come in and it looks more like just over 850 professionals have resigned since the start of this year. The number that officials had proffered earlier this week had to do with the fact that the additional 400 plus had waited until they had safely received salaries for August before dropping their resignation letters into the system, much to the chagrin of education officials.

“Ahead of the school year, obviously, getting notice here a few days before school opens, I can fully understand the uncertainty of our principals and boards across Jamaica. We’ve given the approval for boards and principals to act, but at the same time, we will continue to provide additional resources to help our schools, to ensure that we make it smoothly through this upcoming school year,” the minister told reporters.

Foreign recruiters from the United Kingdom, the US and Canada have been targeting teachers from the Caribbean by the dozens in the past decade with Jamaica supplying the bulk of these to foreign shores. Recent reports, for example, have indicated that the education system in the Carolinas is actually targeting Jamaican teachers, many of whom they have discovered are way more qualified than is required for the public school system. Jamaican teachers and their representative union have complained bitterly about low salaries and tough working conditions, citing this as a reason many are quitting for so-called greener pastures.

Signaling that many of the teachers are disingenuous, the minister complained that permanently employed teachers must give three months’ notice of their resignations, while those classified as temporary are required to signal intentions a month ahead of time. Most, she said, have not done so but have simply left the system abruptly.

Still, Williams boasted that the number of resignations this year pales in comparison to the 1,538 who had walked off the job last year, noting that quite a few of these vacancies have since been filled. It is unclear how the system will manage this time around as nearly half of those departing local education have only quit in the past week.

As an emergency measure, school principals are, therefore, now empowered to hire part-time, retired teachers and even pre-trained graduates as well as final year students.

“I know there will be the argument that math teachers, English teachers and so on are the important ones in the system where we may see gaps. And yes, I will agree and we need to make sure that we are aggressive in terms of offering scholarships for those very important areas. The ministry stands ready, we have anticipated, we’ve given the strategies, we’ve given the approval for boards and principals to act, but at the same time, we will continue to provide additional resources to help our schools, to ensure that we make it smoothly through this upcoming school year,” she said.