Principal calls for more literacy and numeracy specialist teachers

 

Principal of Old Harbour High School in St. Catherine, Linton Weir, is appealing for an increase in numeracy and literacy specialist teachers in schools. 

 

He also wants more job security for this cohort of educators to make the positions permanent rather than contractual. 

 

Mr. Weir says administrators of some secondary schools are having difficulty attracting specialist teachers. 

 

"So a teacher would rather go to a school that is a permanent position, clear vacancy, than to go into a school that it is going to be a contractual arrangement, and that is where we are having some of the difficulties as well. I think we need to look at the numbers of specialists that we are putting into our schools and at the same time we have to free it up and provide employment numbers so that principals will be able to engage individuals to take on these different positions," he suggested. 

 

Mr. Weir made the call against the background of a Gleaner report highlighting a literacy crisis at Pembroke Hall High School in St. Andrew.

 

It was revealed that more than 70 per cent of grade 7 pupils at the secondary school are unable to read or can only do so at the third-grade level.

 

Mr. Weir, who is First Vice President of the Association of Principals and Vice Principals, has also suggested that the automatic promotion of students at the primary level, regardless of their abilities to read and comprehend, should end if the country is serious about tackling the literacy crisis. 

 

He said high school teachers have been trying to assist students with reading challenges, but they are limited by the lack of training.

 

The principal was speaking Wednesday on the Morning Agenda on Power 106.