Leighton Johnson, president of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA), is appealing to the Ministry of Education and Youth to review its funding arrangements for schools to ensure that allocations made to schools are done equitably.

Johnson, who made the call while speaking at the JTA Education Conference on Tuesday (April 2), made a case that schools’ resource needs greatly vary based on student enrollment.

“Minister [Fayval Williams], urgent attention must be given to those institutions that do not have consistent and stable internet connectivity. As well as those early childhood and primary schools that need assistance in establishing a constant reliable network across their compounds so that everybody has access to Internet where ever they are on their compounds,” Johnson said.

He further urged the education ministry to take an approach to outfit schools at all levels with interactive smart boards to enhance the teaching and learning process.

“Minister, I am confident and I am sure that you are aware that our teachers are innovative, creative and well-trained with over 10 teacher training institutions in our country. Provide us with the resources and watch our teachers transform education in our country. This is evident when they go into other jurisdictions, teachers are celebrated as top teachers within their school districts in a very short time. These teachers are still here, we continue to urge our corporate sponsors to partner with our educational institutions to provide more mobile labs and other essential technological resources to ensure that our students receive the best possible educational experiences which are aligned to 21st century global standards,” Johnson mused.

“We are poised to chart a course where knowledge knows no bounds and possibilities are limitless. The Theme for our conference underscores the critical importance of embracing the digital age and equipping our students with the skills they need to thrive in an ever-evolving world,” the JTA president added.