‘Robot teachers are not in Jamaica’s future’

Educators from the length and breath of the nation descended on the Jamaica Conference Centre on Saturday to share ideas for a stronger, more resilient sector in redesigning the future of education in Jamaica.

The Global Education Teachers (GET) summit, brainchild of global teacher prize-winner 2021, Keishia Thorpe, along with international and local partners, also observed International day of Education.

The mini-conference was seemingly the ideal platform for Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) President LaSonja Harrison to reiterate her stance that the future of education in Jamaica needs funding and not lip service.

She also advocated for the welfare of our nation’s teachers.

Harrison said: “The future of education in this great island nation calls for a philosophy to drive it, one void of legacy of colonialism made by Jamaicans for all Jamaican children. Built on pillars of what makes us truly Jamaican.”

She said in redesigning education there needs to be one that recognises the work and worth of the practitioners.

“We have the solutions to craft the roadmap for the way forward. We only asked that we are listened to. We deserved the professional courtesy due to us,” Harrison said.

HELD ACCOUNTABLE

She stressed that timelines must be set and that any government in power shall be held accountable.

“Jamaican children our greatest asset in whom we can make no too large an investment deserves better. It is a return guaranteed if fuelled by a purpose driven philosophy, harnessing innate talent and gifting to birth solutions, innovations ultimately the streams of income will follow,” Harrison said.

The JTA head said in redesigning the learning spaces in Jamaica they must be resourced better.

“The learning condition of the student is the working condition of the teacher,” Harrison said, asking the educators present if they were satisfied with the learning environment.

Infrastructural improvements, Internet access and adequate texts also came up for mentioning.

Teacher migration has been the subject for much discussion and this was addressed subliminally in that Harrison said, any redesigning of education in Jamaica must involve Jamaican practitioners which mean paying the teachers better.

“We are not greedy, all we ask is that you pay us a liveable wage … The future of eduction must seek to preserve the persona of the teacher. Our employers will so organise themselves so as not to contribute to the burn-out of practitioners. Robots, Duracell teachers are not in Jamaica’s future,” she said.

Education Minister Fayval Williams in her address said her ministry is committed to sustained teacher education and development and believe passionately in quality education.

Williams said in 2022 approximately 12,000 in service teachers have benefited from 200 hours of professional development.

“For the year (financial) we are in already, we have made available 131 hours of professional development, which has been accessed by more than 9,000 teachers,” Williams said.

She said the Jamaica Teacher’s Council has been expanded to offer more diverse professional development opportunities.

“As a result, our teachers are now able to access quality professional development at no cost to them at the time they choose without leaving their home,” Williams said, adding that she is enthused about the GET summit.

REDESIGNING EDUCATION

Williams said redesigning education in Jamaica is relevant as they are at a juncture, looking into how to formalise through policies and lessons that the last three years has taught coming out of COVID-19, and understanding technology.

There was, however, mumbling from sections of the audience when Williams sought to disclose that every teacher had been outfitted with laptops.

“It doesn’t mean if you have not gotten it yet you are not going to receive it. It’s the first time ever in Jamaica we are doing it and you will be getting it,” Williams said, as she sought to assure the teachers.

Williams also said all the computer labs in high schools across Jamaica will be upgraded.

Thorpe, a Jamaican living and working in the United States, was awarded US$1 million towards her foundation and chose Jamaica as the destination for the mini conference to kickstart post-pandemic revival in education.

Thorpe urged the teachers to indulge and complete at least four sessions in order to get their professional development credit and certification from JCT.

She also urged the educators to have conversation with one another.

“Collaboration, networking and partnering … meet someone new. That’s what this whole experience is about, sharing of knowledge, sharing of self and making sure we are continuing this level of collaboration to redefine the future of education,” Thorpe said.