Subscribe Login
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Videos
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obits
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Videos
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obits
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
  • Home
  • News
    • International News
  • Latest
  • Business
    • Business Bites
  • Cartoon
  • Games
  • Food Awards
  • Health
  • Entertainment
    • Bookends
  • Regional
  • Sports
    • Sports
    • World Cup
    • World Champs
    • Olympics
  • Videos
  • Career & Education
  • Classifieds
  • All Woman
  • Environment
  • Webinars
  • More
    • Football
    • Elections
    • Letters
    • Advertorial
    • Columns
    • Editorial
    • Supplements
  • Epaper
  • Design Week
New protocol coming for overseas recruitment of teachers
THWAITES...so often schools do not know that the teacher is leaving until the teacher has left
News
By PENDA HONEYGHAN Observer writer honeyghanp@jamaicaobserver.com  
January 16, 2016

New protocol coming for overseas recruitment of teachers

Minister of Education Ronald Thwaites says there will have to be a revision and reactivation of protocol regulating the recruitment of Jamaican teachers by overseas recruiters.

This, as the education ministry revealed last week that 494 maths and science teachers left the public education sector last year alone to pursue overseas employment.

“So often schools do not know that the teacher is leaving until the teacher has left, which is our greatest difficulty,” Thwaites said during a press conference at HEART Trust/NTA corporate offices in St Andrew, last Friday.

The minister said that with the current framework which allows for oversees recruiters — who are primarily from the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada — to come to Jamaica to privately recruit teachers the ministry was blindsided when many teachers, without officially resigning, simply did not turn up for work.

“ Now, we are planning to approach the taking companies, and work out protocol even though on a government to government basis we know when an approach is being made and we know that there can be some kind of insurance because if they are taking our teachers, whom we have trained, then certainly there should be some level of reciprocity in helping to train our teachers for the local market and certainly for the foreign market,” Thwaites explained.

One reason given for the high level of departure from the classroom is the attractive employment opportunities overseas and the poor remuneration that teachers receive here, a report released by the education ministry stated.

Thwaites said the loss of mathematics and science teachers has rocked the island’s education system.

“We lost a great number of good math and science teachers and it has been a blow to the education system. This has happened for a number of reasons but an even greater issue at hand is the fact that we risk losing may more,” Thwaites said.

Thwaites said the ministry will be pulling out all stops to ensure that positive trends that have been recorded in mathematics over the past three years is not greatly affected in light of this revelation.

However, while they work to iron out this wrinkle, Thwaites said that there are also other ongoing efforts organised by his ministry which will be in motion by September.

“We are taking nothing off the table and we will have to put a number of things in place (and) one that we have looked at is incentivising mathematics and science teachers and it may very well be that we may have to offer contracts of service to people with particular expertise-probably they are people who have already retired or those who are not in the education system ­ because we need people who can come and offer the strengths in these areas,” the minister proffered.

Among the other proposals listed by Thwaites to address the drain on the education system is offering scholarships to people who have an interest in pursuing mathematics and the sciences starting September, as well as recruiting exceptional mathematics and science students to pursue education degrees in the disciplines under the condition that they submit to a bonding period of five years.

The minister acknowledged that this thrust to focus on mathematics and sciences ­ is linked to the global demands for people who specialise in STEAM areas (science, technology. engineering, arts and mathematics).

He said the disappointing number of students registering for subjects in the sciences as well as the reduction in science passes in the 2015 Caribbean Examination Council exams was enough evidence that the issue needs to be addressed urgently.

Thwaites also briefed journalists on the current state of the education ministry, as well as projected plans for the 2016/2017 academic year.

{"website":"website"}{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
img img
0 Comments · Make a comment

ALSO ON JAMAICA OBSERVER

UWI investigating cybersecurity alert
Latest News, News
UWI investigating cybersecurity alert
August 19, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica—The University of the West Indies (The UWI) says it has received an alert regarding a potential cybersecurity issue involving ransom...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Jamaica qualify for CFU U14 semis
Latest News, Sports
Jamaica qualify for CFU U14 semis
August 19, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Defending champions Jamaica are through to the semi-finals of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Under-14 Boys Tier 1 Challenge Se...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Jamaica calls for reforms to multilateral system to recognise SIDS vulnerabilities
Latest News, News
Jamaica calls for reforms to multilateral system to recognise SIDS vulnerabilities
August 19, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica—Jamaica is advocating for reforms to the multilateral system to better recognise the vulnerabilities of Small Island Developing Stat...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
CFA and UNICEF initiative supports over 6,000 children and caregivers with hurricane recovery efforts
Latest News, News
CFA and UNICEF initiative supports over 6,000 children and caregivers with hurricane recovery efforts
August 19, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — In the seven months following Hurricane Melissa’s devastation across communities in St Elizabeth, St James and Manchester, over 6,...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Reijnders leaves Man City for Saudi’s Al Qadsiah
International News, Latest News
Reijnders leaves Man City for Saudi’s Al Qadsiah
August 19, 2026
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AFP)—Dutch midfielder Tijjani Reijnders completed a move from Manchester City to Saudi Pro League side Al Qadsiah on Wednesday i...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
US and Canada say they are close to final trade deal
International News, Latest News
US and Canada say they are close to final trade deal
August 19, 2026
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP)—The United States and Canada signaled Wednesday that they were close to finalising a comprehensive trade deal, after P...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Liberia to accept 1,200 deportees from the US
International News, Latest News
Liberia to accept 1,200 deportees from the US
August 19, 2026
MONROVIA, Liberia (AFP) — Liberia said Tuesday it would receive up to 1,200 foreign nationals deported from the United States, as President Donald Tru...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
WATCH: Four PEP students receive Norris Crooks Scholarship
Latest News, News, Videos
WATCH: Four PEP students receive Norris Crooks Scholarship
August 19, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Four students who recently sat the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) exam were on Tuesday awarded Norris Crooks Scholarships valued at $3...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
❮ ❯

Polls

HOUSE RULES

  1. We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper; email addresses will not be published.
  2. Please understand that comments are moderated and it is not always possible to publish all that have been submitted. We will, however, try to publish comments that are representative of all received.
  3. We ask that comments are civil and free of libellous or hateful material. Also please stick to the topic under discussion.
  4. Please do not write in block capitals since this makes your comment hard to read.
  5. Please don't use the comments to advertise. However, our advertising department can be more than accommodating if emailed: advertising@jamaicaobserver.com.
  6. If readers wish to report offensive comments, suggest a correction or share a story then please email: community@jamaicaobserver.com.
  7. Lastly, read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy

Recent Posts

Archives

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Tweets

Polls

Recent Posts

Archives

Logo Jamaica Observer
Breaking news from the premier Jamaican newspaper, the Jamaica Observer. Follow Jamaican news online for free and stay informed on what's happening in the Caribbean
Featured Tags
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Health
  • Auto
  • Business
  • Letters
  • Page2
  • Football
Categories
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
Ads
img
Jamaica Observer, © All Rights Reserved
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • RSS Feeds
  • Feedback
  • Privacy Policy
  • Editorial Code of Conduct