500 maths and science teachers quit over 2 years
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Nearly 500 mathematics and science teachers left the public secondary school system between the 2014 and 2015 academic year.
This was revealed in the House of Representatives Tuesday by Minister of Education Ronald Thwaites.
Thwaites said that an interim measure, introduced in 2014, which involves the use of maths specialists and coaches in primary and secondary schools has not solved the attrition issue, despite significantly improving the level of passes at both the grade four and Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC).
He said that in response, the ministry has developed a strategy with objectives including: increasing the number of fully qualified maths and science teachers by 200 annually, totalling 600 by 2021; provide incentives to increase their retention; and improve systems to predict and respond to the demand for teachers within the sector.
Balford Henry
