Adriel McKay (centre), director at Concept Promotions with Ruel Reid (left), president of the Jamaica Teachers' Association, and David Reid, category brand manager at GraceKennedy, during yesterday's launch of the Back-To-School Trade Fair, at the Knutsford Court Hotel, New Kingston. - NORMAN GRINDLEY/DEPUTY CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
RUEL REID, president of the Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA), wants
the Government to de-link teachers' salaries from the civil service and reclassify them in light of the transformation of the education system.
Mr. Reid said the Government had committed to keeping teachers salaries within 80 per cent of the market.
"(But) we want to be de-linked from that arrangement and have a reclassification of the teaching service to ensure that we are compensating our teachers strategically for retention and motivation," he told The Gleaner yesterday, following the launch of Concept Promotions Back-to-School Trade Fair 2006.
"So we would want our salary, from early childhood sector right up to tertiary, to be reclassified and realigned as a profession and not just to peg our positions to positions within the civil service," he added.
Meanwhile, Mr. Reid, who was guest speaker at the launch, told the gathering at the Knutsford Court Hotel, New Kingston, that the stakeholders in education need to determine how they are going to fund the transformation of the education system.
Mr. Reid said that, while the Government had agreed to pay half the tuition fees for students, operating costs of schools have increased and the Education Ministry was not responding to the increased cost.
"So high schools are forced to charge auxiliary fees to keep the school operating," the JTA president said.
He added: "I can't understand that there is not even a budget from the Ministry of Finance to the Ministry of Education to pay light bills."
According to Reid, some secondary schools' electricity bills amount to $2 million per year.
Back-to-school Trade Fair
The Back-to-School Trade Fair is to be held at the Chinese Benevolent Society in St. Andrew on August 12 and 13. The event will deliver a one-stop shopping concept by attracting key stakeholders such as providers of textbooks and other school supplies. The Ministry of Health will also be on board, providing free immunisation for children.
