Letter of the Day | Teachers must be held accountable

THE EDITOR, Madam:

In the face of a flaccid Education Act and a Jamaica Teaching Council Bill which seems destined to be stalled into perpetuity, how do we hold teachers accountable for their actions which adversely affect students’ learning and future prospects?

Recently, The Gleaner highlighted the story of a teacher from St James High School whose pay was withheld by the principal. On the face of it, the principal’s action may seem high-handed, but the teacher’s failure to complete assigned duties is utterly irresponsible.

Though missing grades and incomplete academic reports may seem like minor infractions, it can make the difference in a student securing a scholarship or being able to matriculate to higher education. The Jamaica Teachers’ Association will likely raise concerns about procedural issues in this case, but who defends students adversely affected by teachers’ negligence?

The exodus of teachers from Jamaican classrooms may tempt us to overlook unprofessionalism and poor results. However, such a response would be misguided. If we intend to address the plague of underperformance which affects so many schools, the issue of teacher accountability cannot be ignored.

CONCERNED EDUCATOR