JTA against paying science and maths teachers more than other educators

The Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA) says it will not support any move to pay certain categories of teachers more than their colleagues, to keep them in Jamaican classrooms. 

Education Minister, Ronald Thwaites, says the government is considering providing better salaries to trained science and mathematics teachers.

Jamaica has been losing some of its best teachers in the critical subject areas.

READ: Gov't mulls offering better salaries to maths and science teachers to keep them

The teachers have been taking advantage of better working opportunities overseas.

However, JTA president, Norman Allen, says the association does not believe in offering better incentives to a select group of teachers.

Allen argues that the suggestion is just a mere reaction that does not consider the possibility that other categories of teachers may also be targeted by developed countries. 

The Education Minister admits that the idea to pay science and maths teachers better than their other colleagues will be controversial.

However, Thwaites says the time has come to question whether it makes sense to pay all teachers at the same rate. 

The government has been placing a lot of emphasis on the role of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education as a means of meeting market demands and promoting national development.