TRELAWNY, Jamaica – Amid growing concerns over the teacher shortage in Jamaica, Education Minister Fayval Williams responded to pressing questions during the Jamaica Teachers’ Association’s (JTA) 60th Annual Conference held at the Coral Ocean Spring Resort in Trelawny. Williams clarified that overseas teachers being recruited to fill gaps in the country’s education system would not receive special contracts or salaries different from their local counterparts.
“The Ministry does not have any current contracts with Ghana, India, or the Philippines. Teachers coming from overseas will operate under the same salary scale as local teachers,” Williams assured. She emphasized that this recruitment effort aims to address specific needs in the system without overwhelming it with foreign educators.
A survey conducted with school principals revealed that a substantial majority were receptive to bringing in additional teachers from abroad to fill the critical gaps. However, Williams stressed that this move is not about overhauling the system but providing necessary support where it is most needed.
The conference became a platform for robust discussion on the issue, particularly during the question and answer session, where former JTA President Dr. Garth Anderson voiced his concerns. Anderson highlighted that the JTA was not consulted on the recruitment process and questioned the transparency regarding the selection and cultural responsiveness of the foreign recruits.
Dr. Kasan Troupe, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, had previously addressed the nation at a post-cabinet press briefing, elucidating that the ministry was in advanced stages of hiring overseas-based teachers. She also noted surprising developments: countries with an oversupply of teachers have approached Jamaica, offering their surplus educators a chance to work on the island.
Despite these developments, Dr. Anderson insisted that more focus should be put on nurturing local teacher talent. He highlighted the discrepancies in the support provided to teacher training institutions in Jamaica, lamenting that many institutions are still in the dark about how many teachers they need to train and in which specializations.
“We’re not against foreign teachers,” Anderson clarified. “But we have 10 public-operated teacher training institutions that need guidance on numbers and specialties. We need a concrete plan for training and retaining our teachers, rather than ‘shooting in the dark’ and hoping for a solution.”
Anderson also brought attention to the financial incentive problem, noting that teachers trained in Jamaican institutions are often prepping for jobs overseas, leading to a brain drain. Jamaican teachers earn approximately US$19,000 annually, significantly less than their counterparts in regions like the Bahamas and Turks, who earn between US$23,000 and US$25,000.
“If we can’t match the salaries offered by other countries, we need to ensure that we are at least competitive,” Anderson urged. He pointed out that this financial disparity drives many newly-trained teachers to migrate, potentially exacerbating the already critical shortage in Jamaica.
As the new school year approaches, the exact number of teachers who have migrated or the number needed from overseas remains unclear. What remains certain, however, is the urgent need for a comprehensive strategy to address both teacher retention and recruitment to sustain the quality of education in Jamaica.
—Anthony Lewis, Observer Online
