The Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) has made a decisive call to halt special teacher-recruiting schemes by 1976, addressing the pressing issue in the Jamaican educational system related to staffing the post-primary sector. The resolution, proposed by Thelma Pyne and supported by an overwhelming majority at the JTA conference, urges the Ministry of Education to discontinue recruiting efforts abroad after a period of three to five years (1974 to 1975).

Published Wednesday, January 6, 1971

JTA calls end to recruitment schemes ‘by 1976’

- Manning of post-primary sector

Gleaner Educator, Reporter

The Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) has called for the end of special teacher-recruiting schemes by 1976 .A resolution to this effect was passed by an overwhelming majority at the JTA conference in session at Mico Teachers’ College yesterday.

The resolution reads:

“In view of the serious crisis existing in the Jamaican educational system regarding the manning of the post-primary sector, “Be it resolved that the Jamaica Teachers’ Association proposes to the Ministry of Education that, after a period of three to five years, that is, 1974 to 1975, we do not seek to man our teaching service by the recruitment schemes hitherto employed:

“And that every possible effort he made to find ways and means whereby we can man our teaching service from our own resources;

“And be it further resolved that, as an association, the JTA should not in the future participate officially in recruitment drives abroad.”

Unrecognised

The mover of the resolution was Thelma Pyne, a native of Guyana and an executive member of the JTA.

Speaking on the motion, Dr Errol Miller, of The University of the West Indies (UWI), said that education in Jamaica was now having a crisis that was not being recognised.

Last year, he said, 350 teachers were needed.  This September, another 250 teachers were required for the secondary schools alone. The total size of the teaching staff in secondary schools was about 1,200.

“This means that, in two years, there has been something close to a 50 per cent turnover at this level,” Dr Miller said, adding that the results would be manifest in a few years' time. “We can live from September to September. In the last 20 years, 800 to 900 Jamaican graduates entered the classrooms.  If they stayed, and even allowed the normal attrition rate, we would not need any scheme.

“We can’t say we have not produced teachers.  The majority of them have apparently left the classroom.

Pressure

“There is tremendous pressure to remain.  But remaining is a sacrifice. We have to place a deadline on the scheme.  It is too easy to get teachers from abroad and, if we go on, we will never face the real problem of the Jamaican teacher.

“What we must do is change the concept of the recruitment,” Dr Miller said.

“Instead of the solution, it must be regarded as an interim measure. The recruitment scheme is not the answer to the problem: it will aggravate the problem.

“I am not aware of any long-term plans which say that, with the realisation of these plans, we will stop the scheme.  We are playing a very dangerous game,” he ended by saying.

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