THE EDITOR, Sir:
Tributes to teachers have poured in from private as well as the public sector in celebration of Teachers' Day. While it is good to see teachers being recognised in a national way there are serious issues of concern to be addressed within the teaching profession. I would like to comment on a few issues that I believe have impacted on the quality of education in this country.
Our teachers have been reduced to 'itinerant hustlers' in order to eke out a basic existence. Our teachers are in Botswana, Japan, Cayman Islands, United States just to name a few of the countries benefiting from the creativity and industry of the Jamaican trained teacher. These countries recognise that proper social and economic continuity lies in a cadre of highly educated youngsters to take up the baton of leadership in years to come. Many who have remained in Jamaica also have to 'hustle' either by teaching in two places and in some cases three, simply because their full-time salaries cannot sustain a modest lifestyle.
What happens in this case is what we call 'lick and promise' in Jamaican parlance. It is almost next to impossible to give all these jobs your full attention. With the recently signed M.O.U. , this 'hustling' is likely to increase by far. There are many who feel that the average teacher is poorly equipped in terms of training to meet the needs of turning out students in a globalise marketplace but one must also consider that there is no real incentive to upgrade within the teaching profession except for self aggrandisement. The increment given after any form of upgrading within the profession is a paltry amount and is insulting, to say the least!
Promotion within the profession is almost non-existent. Those of us who aspire to be Principals will have to wait until a post becomes vacant either by retirement or an act of God. Even then only one of the numerous applicants will be successful. I am not making a case for lazy and inefficient teachers within the profession. Those who believe they can no longer put in a fair day's work should go, but those who give dedicated service should see the fruits of their labour reflected in their standard of living and the preservation of their dignity.
I am etc.,
JULIE AMOS NEWTON
jehovahnisi365@yahoo.com
Portmore, St. Catherine
Via Go-Jamaica
