Newly minted president of the Jamaica Teacher’s Association (JTA), Leighton Johnson, says there is an urgent need to address the many issues plaguing the education sector, including teacher migration and unresolved issues with the compensation review.

Johnson was speaking today, August 23, at the JTA’s 59th annual conference held at the Royalton Negril Resorts and Spa in Westmoreland.

Among the attendees were the immediate past president of the JTA, La Sonja Harrison; Minister of Education Fayval William; acting chief education officer, Dr Kasan Troupe, along with teachers and other representatives from the education ministry.

“We are at an important juncture in education, we have seen where at this point our teachers are migrating and are choosing other careers. At this juncture, there still remain unresolved issues with the compensation review. At this juncture, there is another task force on education report with recommendations to be implemented. At this juncture Minister there are deficiencies and gaps in the education sector that we all must treat with as priority,” the JTA president said.

With just a few weeks before the start of a new school year, Johnson said that there are still schools without the necessary technological resources to perform effectively.

“We speak to special education, we speak to early childhood education, we speak to how education is funded. We speak to the matter that of course technology is essential and there are still schools that are devoid of the necessary technological resources that will make them effective in today’s dispensation,” he said.

However, Education Minister Fayval Williams has repeatedly downplayed the severity of teacher migration, pointing out that there is actually a decline with 427 teachers in the public sector resigning between January and September this year.

During the same period last year, 1,538 teachers resigned, which accounted for 6.2 per cent of teachers in the public education system.

Notwithstanding, the JTA president is calling for more compensation for teachers to prevent them from taking flight to greener pastures.

“Minister, our teachers are not desirous of leaving our shores they want to stay here but compensation is an issue and though there is a teacher shortage globally. Though teachers are leaving the classroom worldwide in other jurisdictions, our teachers have opted to go there because the remuneration package is better than our own. Minister, we strongly believe that if we get it right and we adequately compensate our teachers then our teacher specialists will choose to stay in our classrooms and this is what are defending at this time,” Johnson said.

He further noted with education being the chief driver of Jamaica, there is an urgent need to find a common ground to ensure progress in the sector.