Remittances and the teachers' exodus

THE EDITOR, Sir:

THE CURRENT exodus of trained teachers to work in the United States of America should not be seen only in the light of Jamaica losing its trained teachers but should also be seen in the light of the fact that we are producing teachers of the quality that is in demand in other countries.

I am aware that this exodus has placed a strain on our own school system in the short-term but migration of teachers and other trained professionals will continue until Jamaica is in a position to offer better pay and working conditions similar to those paid abroad.

Based on this fact, I think the Government should be expanding its teacher-training programme to produce teachers to meet both our local and overseas demand and any opportunity for teachers to work abroad, for when these teachers work overseas they will remit to Jamaica much- needed foreign exchange on an on-going basis for savings, purchasing house, furniture, cars etc., and Jamaica will be better off for their migrating.

Several countries have done this successfully. Take India for example. All over the world you find Indian doctors, accountants and computer technicians. They seem to have a worldwide monopoly on these occupations.

I remember in the past Jamaican nurses were in demand all over the world.

The working conditions for nurses are so bad and the training has been cut back that now we do not have sufficient nurses to even satisfy our local demand.

The infrastructure is in place for the training of teachers and nurses. Let us train them and let them work all over the world where their services are required.

I am, etc.,

K. REID

16 Gallery Way

Kingston 5

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