THE EDITOR, Sir:
MAYBE THE article concerning the rejection of the proposal for teachers to be paid as per performance has omitted too much information, but pardon my oversimplified view of the matter - What is wrong with evaluating teachers and paying them according to a performance scale/criteria system? Everybody else in terms of profession is evaluated at some level doctors by their Medical Association, lawyers by Bar Association, etc.
The potential to do a great deal of good as well as a great deal of harm to the future of a nation is paramount and lies well within the custody of all teachers, so then why shouldn't the teachers' EMPLOYERS have the right to evaluate the teachers and use this evaluation information to determine their upgrade/downgrade of remuneration?
PROPOSAL
Of course if you are a teacher who is currently doing well, doing your best, then you should have no problem with this proposal. It would be in your best interest to embrace and support this proposal. However, if you are a poor performer insisting that you have the right to the same privileges as the top performers then you would not appreciate this proposal at all.
On the other hand, the government (EMPLOYER) must ensure that the onus is clearly on them to not only evaluate teachers in order to establish and manage control systems that would promote efficiency and effectiveness in the education system, but their responsibilities, too, involve providing secure environments, providing adequate and suitable resources for teachers to perform to their best abilities, having an acceptable and reasonable teachers/student ratio, ensuring that the physical site is properly equipped with the appropriate tools, etc.
So again, unless I have missed much in this performance appraisal related remuneration proposal, then both sides should sit down and meet and realise that it is incumbent on them at such a time as this to come to a solution involving best practices that will benefit the current student population and the future of education in Jamaica.
This solution has embedded in it the future of the value of the teachers, morale of the students and the sustainability of a sound education system. I say, Mrs. Maxine Henry-Wilson, take charge, listen objectively, actively pursue ways and means to improve the system, challenge the brilliant minds, plug the loopholes, provide education for the inner-city students that is equal to those 'uptown' and finally put us back on the map academically seek to surpass those milestones that you inherited.
I am, etc.,
DONNA TAYLOR-MCKINNEY
d_am_tee@yahoo.com
Nassau, Bahamas
