St Ann schools facing space, staffing hurdles
Published:Wednesday | August 28, 2024 | 12:08 AMCarl Gilchrist/Gleaner Writer
With the new academic year set to commence next Monday, September 2, several schools in St Ann are still hunting for teachers and at least one school has had to scale back programmes because of inadequate classroom spaces.
In a social media post on the weekend, York Castle High School Principal Raymon Treasure bemoaned the fact that his Brown’s Town-based school is not able to accommodate all the students it wants to.
“Needed just three classrooms to offer 100 additional spaces to students in this region,” he posted. “Couldn’t convince the powers that be to invest. So our sixth form intake will be reduced by 50 students this year and lower school by 30.”
Over the summer break, York Castle has advertised for a dean of discipline, and teachers for English language and literature, physics and integrated science, agriculture and environmental science, mechanical technology, and food and nutrition.
Other schools in the parish have also been hunting educators for the new academic year.
Principal of the Ocho Rios High School, Marvin Clowson, has underlined the importance of having adequate academic staff in place.
In a recent Sunday Gleaner advertisement, Ocho Rios High called for teachers of English language, English literature, Spanish, physical education, human and social biology, information technology, business education, and mathematics.
Some teachers are needed to teach more than one subject, but the vacancies, triggered in part by the continuing exodus of Jamaican teachers to more lucrative classrooms in the United States, mean students could have delays in lessons or some subjects being scrapped.
According to Clowson, indiscipline and chaos may result if vacancies are not filled quickly.
“It is imperative that these vacancies are filled in a timely manner, owing to the fact that once teachers are in place, it sets the stage for a seamless transition for the upcoming school year,” he told The Gleaner on Monday.
“Whenever students are without teachers, it opens a can of worms, which breeds indiscipline and chaos. A perfect recipe for stagnating the teaching-learning process. Our chief concern regarding the reopening of school for the new academic year is staffing,” he emphasised.
VACANCIES
Several other high schools in St Ann have advertised for teachers to fill more than three dozen vacancies. It is unclear how many have been filled since.
While some positions are clear vacancies, others are for short-term periods.
Ferncourt in Claremont has advertised for teachers of mathematics, integrated science, information technology, physics and integrated science, agricultural science, drama and English literature, and textile/clothing and fashion.
St Hilda’s Diocesan in Brown’s Town has advertised for teachers for physical education, chemistry, computer science, business studies, and two teachers, each to teach English language and English literature.
Marcus Garvey Technical’s list of vacancies is longer than the rest as the school also sought two teachers each to teach English language and English literature, along with teachers for Spanish and English language, physical education, social studies, physics and chemistry, building technology, industrial technology, mathematics, music, and special education.