Letter of the Day | Education ministry’s Band-Aid strategies

THE EDITOR, Madam:

I am writing in response to the article published in The Gleaner on Monday July 15, 2024, regarding the Ministry of Education and Youth’s teacher retention strategies for the 2024/25 academic year.

As someone with over 35 years of experience teaching at all levels of the education system, from basic school to tertiary education, I am compelled to address several concerns raised by the ministry’s current approach.

Acting Chief Education Officer Terry-Ann Thomas Gayle mentioned the ministry’s initiative to source teachers from countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, the Philippines, and India.

While this international recruitment might appear as a viable solution to teacher shortages, it raises questions about the sustainability and practicality of relying on foreign teachers. These teachers, unfamiliar with our local culture and educational system, may face significant challenges in adapting and effectively engaging with our students. This approach could lead to a transient teaching workforce, perpetuating instability in our schools.

Last year’s strategies (employing part-time, retired, and pre-trained graduate teachers, as well as final-year student teachers) were emergency measures rather than sustainable solutions.

The encouragement for administrators to redeploy underutilised staff, merge small classes, and increase the use of ICT in the classroom may appear innovative, but they also signal a crisis mode rather than a long-term strategic plan. These measures can strain existing resources and may compromise the quality of education that our students receive.

The ministry’s focus on these short-term fixes overlooks the fundamental issues driving teacher resignations and attrition. Inadequate salaries, lack of professional development opportunities, and poor working conditions are key factors that must be addressed.

By failing to tackle these core issues, the ministry’s strategies risk being temporary Band-Aids rather than lasting solutions.

The theme of the ministry’s recent conference, ‘Shaping the Future: STEM/STEAM and the Transformation Agenda’, highlights the importance of preparing students for future challenges. However, without a stable and well-supported teaching workforce, the implementation of these educational advancements will be severely hampered. Quality education stems from well-supported, motivated, and experienced teachers, not from stopgap measures and imported solutions.

While the ministry’s intentions to address teacher shortages are understandable, the reliance on international recruitment and temporary fixes is concerning. It is crucial to invest in long-term strategies that prioritise the retention and well-being of our local teachers.

LOLA A. BENNETT

Senior Lecturer

Church Teachers’ College

By addressing the root causes of teacher dissatisfaction and creating a supportive environment, we can ensure a stable and high-quality education system for our students.