Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter

Barclay

With just over four weeks to go before her tenure as president of the the Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA) ends, Ena Barclay says she has done well to improve the welfare of the island's teachers.

"I am pleased that I was able to represent the teachers in a very positive way and I do believe that the incoming president will continue in that vein," Barclay told The Gleaner recently.

Swearing-in august

Doran Dixon, 2007-2008 president-elect of the JTA, will be sworn in as president at the association's 44th annual conference, which will be held at the Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort and Spa in St Ann from August 18-20.

Barclay, who represents some 22,000 teachers across the island, said the year was challenging, yet successful.

She noted that the year was taxing, mainly because of the violent incidents that teachers and students had to grapple with in schools. There were some 60 reported cases of physical attacks in schools between September last year and May 2008.

However, Barclay noted that the JTA was able to discuss the issue of violence with the Ministry of Education, adding that some measures would be implemented in September to address the problem.

In reference to salary negotiations for teachers, Barclay said she was dissatisfied that the process was yet to be complete.

"(However) we are working feverishly at it and I am hoping it can be wrapped up very soon," the outgoing president said, adding that teachers were badly in need of a salary increase.

Study incomplete

Barclay said the JTA's major frustration was that the study to review teachers' salary was yet to be complete.

"That's a disappointment. We are still working on it and we hope it will be completed in short time," she said, noting that the reclassification exercise would be critical in determining teachers' salary in this round of negotiations.

Barclay will return to her position as principal of Lyssons Primary, St Thomas, in September.

Some of her achievements include the introduction of three new scholarships for teachers pursuing graduate studies and a new educational service centre which will cater to the needs of teachers. This centre is to be opened in September.

petrina.francis@gleanerjm.com