JTA criticised for position on JTC Bill

 

As the controversy surrounding the disputed Jamaica Teaching Council (JCT) Bill continues, the Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA) is coming in for criticism from head of the licensing body over its position to reject the proposed law.

 

CEO of the JTC, Dr. Winsome Gordon, is asserting that the association's concerns were heard and taken into consideration throughout the drafting process.

 

The JTA has argued that while it has been actively consulted over the more than 20-year process, much of its proposals addressing the composition of Board of Governors, registration and licensing of teachers, and the council as an examination body, among others things, were left out of the bill. 

 

Of particular concern to the JTA is its authority on the JTC's 31-member Board - six of whom are to come from the union - as well as the quorum of 11. 

 

The union has been adamant that there must be greater representation on the Board and that it must be clearly named in the quorum, as the current setup places decision-making solely in the hands of the Education Ministry. 

 

The JTA, which comprises more than 20,000 members, represents the majority of educators. But not all teachers are members of the union. It is on that premise that Dr. Gordon argued that the JTA is being unreasonable. 

 

"There were 40% in the early years. They came to us to increase the number of teachers, and if you're going to set up a programme for teachers, then other teachers must be involved. So while JTA has six persons now, proportion of teachers on the Board is 61.29%. JTA wants to be named in the quorum, and they keep saying that. The response has always been we cannot name an institution in a quorum when you have a Board. The Board members have equal rights. JTA has a responsibility to be there to discuss the issues. Somebody must be available out of the six members," she contended. 

 

Dr. Gordon said their push to be named in the quorum could stymie in the operations of the JTC Board. She said she feels let down by the JTA's position.

 

"I'm very disappointed that the JTA actually goes out and makes certain comments. [After] 20 years we can't talk about a hurried bill. This inclusiveness started with them. From the 16th of September 2008 they have been collaborating with the JTC. We worked on the framework together, but you know you give the framework to a lawyer, to attorneys and then they write the law. We don't write laws. JTA and I sat down on that framework with teachers, teachers review the framework. They were okay," she explained while speaking on the Morning Agenda on Power 106FM.