Caribbean Union of Teachers concerned about 'overreaching' JTC bill

 

As the Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA) pushes for greater representation and an improved support model for educators under the Jamaica Teaching Council (JTC) Bill, a regional union is expressing concern about the autonomy of teachers.

 

President of the Caribbean Union of Teachers (CUT), Dr. Garth Anderson, says regionally, the JTA's position on the JTC Bill is not unique, as a similar pushback is ongoing across other regional jurisdictions like Belize, which has an active teaching council.

 

Dr. Anderson explained that the Belize National Teachers' Union is facing similar challenges, some relating to the issues raised by the JTA, as well as human resource matters such as payroll deficiencies. 

 

Similar to the JTA's concerns regarding the Board of Directors for the JTC, Dr. Anderson said the powers extended to the Ministry of Education through the council cannot be overlooked. He is questioning the motive behind the proposed legislation.

 

"The power of the Minister to name 23 members of the 31 member board - 31 in itself is another issue telling you that we are not serious, inefficiency, moving from 19 to 31 -  and 23 of those, the Minister will be naming them. So is this really a bill to professionalise the profession or the ministry is using it as a route to control teachers? Yes, we catch them now because the education regulation, we are not happy with how things operate under that regulation. So here is it now. The teachers are the problem in the system. We're going to catch them and we are going to punish them. That is the tone of the bill," he contended while speaking as a guest on the Morning Agenda on Power 106 FM.  

 

Meanwhile, Dr. Anderson argued that the CARICOM Standards for the Teaching Profession, developed to guide policymakers for education sectors across the region and which clearly outlines that the voices of teachers must be heard in law, is seemingly being disregarded by the government.

 

And as Jamaica struggles with the teacher migration, Dr. Anderson believes another wave of educators could leave classrooms as the JTC bill is non-functional for their operation.

 

"If this bill should go in as is, a lot of our teachers will leave us shores. It is overreaching. If the board which employs the teachers today, carry out a disciplinary matter, taking some time, this entity can take it over, override the board and that employs the teacher. If a court acquits a teacher on a charge, the entity can go back and retry the teacher if you're fit and proper. Where are we going?" he questioned. 

 

During Monday's press conference, JTA President Dr. Mark Smith said there are several countries that are prepared to accommodate Jamaican teachers who intend to leave for better conditions.