Petrina Francis, Education Reporter
CLARKE
OCHO RIOS, St. Ann:
IMMEDIATE PAST president of the Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA), Michael Clarke, says he did his best despite all the challenges he encountered during his tenure.
Mr. Clarke, who was unable to assume leadership of the JTA last August due to illness, was installed as president of the organisation in December.
MOU'S IMPACT
But, the immediate past president said the memorandum of understanding (MoU) has had a severe impact on some aspects of his presidential programme which resulted in a lack of financial resources to effectively carry out planned activities.
"The association was constantly called upon to settle disputes relating to violence on students and teachers. In addition, the ravages of hurricanes Ivan, Dennis and Emily on the school plants and the tardiness on the part of the relevant authorities to effect timely repairs was a constant challenge," he said Monday during the opening session of the 41st annual JTA conference at the Sunset Jamaica Grande in Ocho Rios, St. Ann.
In an emotional address, Mr. Clarke said teachers were often lambasted for the failures of the education system but hardly get praise when children are successful.
STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE
He charged the more than 200 delegates and observers who were present at the conference to continue to strive for excellence at all times
Mr. Clarke warned that teachers would not settle for a single-digit increase in salary when the MoU ends next April.
His warning came days after Ruel Reid, newly installed JTA president, said teachers would be lobbying for a 47 per cent increase starting this September.
But Prime Minister P.J. Patterson, who also addressed the conference on Monday, said that while his administration would want to do more for the teachers of Jamaica, "we have to be aware of the realities of our resource availabilities and then competing demands even within the education sector,".
According to the Prime Minister, nearly 95 per cent of the allocation of the Ministry of Education goes to wages and salaries. This, he said, leaves a minuscule amount for providing the required teaching and learning support.
Clarke's achievements
The staging of the conference on Technical/Vocational Education where for the first time, the conference was fully funded by the participants;
The expansion and continuation of investment seminars which saw record numbers of teachers attending in various regions;
Dealing effectively with the issue of teacher pension;
The 40th anniversary scholarships;
Read Across Jamaica Day (first staging)
Successful parenting workshop in western Jamaica with more than 400 participants.
Unfinished business
Mentorship Programme
The Young Professional's Club
