Dear Editor,

The debacle in which the Jamaica Teachers’ Association and the mnister of education find themselves begs for much clarity and reconciliation, both for the sake of the nation’s education system and the well-being of the students who might unfortunately become pawns in the present confrontation.

Somewhere along the line there has been a telling lack of understanding of certain aspects of the Sectoral Debate on education presented in Parliament by the Honourable Ronald Thwaites, the minister of education. That debate had to be coloured by the International Monetary Fund conditionalites.

The heated discussion during the recent JTA St Elizabeth Chapter meeting has produced much heat, but little light. Up to the presentation of the IMF-forced Sectoral Debate on education, the ministry — in particular the minister himself — and the JTA seemed to have had a reasonably amicable relationship reflected in ongoing consultations. Why, then, this sudden debacle with daggers drawn to dispatch “mongrel dawg” and “Backra Massa”?

The Jamaica Council of Churches is very disappointed in such a despicable description of any human being, and strongly urges that both known educators who used such offensive words offer an apology to Minister Ronald Thwaites.

However, the council would like to move the discussion beyond apologies. The Sunday Gleaner’s Focus (May 26, 2013) article, “Belling the JTA Cat at Last,” written by Robert Wynter throws some light on the root of the matter, in terms of emphases. The emphasis or mission of the JTA is clearly teacher-centred: “A democratic organisation responsible for the enhancement and protection of the economic welfare, professional development and personal well-being of its members…” In contrast the Ministry of Education’s mission is student-centred: “To provide strategic leadership and policy direction for quality education for all Jamaicans to maximise their potential, contribute to national development…”

There must be a dialogue/probe for some common ground that would ensure the objectives of both emphases while arriving at a synthesis that would secure the common good for all concerned: teachers, students, and the nation’s much-needed development.

Two of the factors that must be taken into consideration in this dialogue/probe are:

(1) the nation’s present penurious economy with IMF conditionalities in tow, and

(2) the opportunities of technology (eg online courses) for teachers’ ongoing development.

Given the recent National Education Inspectorate report on the pathetic performances of 40% of the 205 schools examined, it is more than obvious that a transformation in our education system is long overdue.

Both the Ministry of Education and the Jamaica Teachers’ Association — along with parents and corporate society — must be in dialogue to ensure that this transformation becomes a reality, beginning now. Is it too farfetched to appeal to our Jamaican patriotism to transcend our individual interests so as to buy into this much-needed transformation?

Donald J Reece

President

Jamaica Council of Churches