Earl Moxam, Senior Gleaner Writer
Reid
A monetary reward scheme has been introduced at Jamaica College as an incentive for teachers who perform at a particular level.
"This is definitely a performance-related scheme in which good performance by the teachers will see them being rewarded, financially", explained Ruel Reid, the new principal of the school.
Incentives for teachers come in two parts, focusing first on quarterly results in relation to their duties as form teachers, turning in their lesson plans on time, the quality of the lesson plans, and their attendance record. The annual incentive scheme will focus on the results from external exams.
Mr. Reid, the immediate past president of the Jamaica Teachers Association, the trade union which lobbies for various incentives for teachers, sees this as an important new element in his administration of the 200-plus year-old school.
Other initiatives
"They are very excited about this and some other initiatives we are introducing and I'm confident that they will be motivated to perform at a higher standard", he asserted, in an interview with The Gleaner.
Physical changes are also under way in the classrooms at JC, with ancient chalkboards giving way to white boards and multi-media projectors, for teachers who wish to deliver their lessons via that medium.
This incentive scheme for the teachers is complemented by a new diagnostic approach for the students of JC, in which every boy is being evaluated and, on that basis, is given a specific programme for his advancement through the school. The diagnostic programme, is being conducted by U.S.-based KB consultants, headed by an old boy of Jamaica College.
"First of all, the consultants start with a diagnostic test, focusing on the mathematics and English language skills of the students and from the results of that test they are creating an individualised study plan that will seek to improve those weak areas in order to ensure that they are operating at the requisite level. To the extent that we can have our full cohort operating at the required level, that is going to provide the foundation for their academic success later when they do their external exams", the principal explained.
Special attention is given to the students of the first, fourth and fifth forms, targeting the weaker ones in an effort to improve their performance.
In the meantime, the school is seeking to provide further incentives for teachers at the school through subsidised housing on or near the campus. Approximately fifteen teachers are already enjoying the benefits of this programme, according to R. Danny Williams, chairman of the school board.
But the board is hoping to go beyond that measure, Mr. Williams revealed, with plans being developed to construct additional housing units for teachers of JC.
"We have a lovely piece of land down at Drax Lodge (at the western end of the campus) and we have been in touch with some old boys with a view to getting a plan drawn up and I know we can get financing (partly from the National Housing Trust) to put a package together to develop housing so that we can offer accommodations to all teachers who need it", he explained.
Support
The board chairman's enthusiasm stems, in part, from the support he has received so far in his efforts to re-engineer the school's administration and support systems.
Through these efforts, additional classrooms have been created, offices have been established on campus for the Old Boys' Association and a newly formed Jamaica College Foundation, headed by the chairman, himself.
The foundation has received commitment for $45 million to finance various projects and schemes, including building maintenance, the sports programmes and the new incentive programme for teachers.
The foundation hopes to raise a minimum of $150 million in the medium term.
