JAMAICA Observer online readers have weighed in on a declaration by Education Minister Ronald Thwaites that Government will have to revise and reactivate protocol governing the recruitment of teachers by overseas agents. Here are some edited comments:

PhilT McNasty

PhilT McNasty

Just make teaching attractive and beneficial. That’s all. You can’t stop them from migrating to greener pastures if they so choose… with or without recruiting. I am a prime example… sorry!

Erica

Erica

People, sit down with your children and their math book just like we used to sit down with reading books. The teachers are leaving, and Thwaites cannot stop them. He would have to take away their passports.

Devon Robins

Devon Robins

@Erica: More than that… he would have to take away their freedom.

Cloud King

Cloud King

@ Erica: Hahahahaha. … or block airport road…

Monique

Monique

A beginner teacher can make $6,027,226.19 or US$50,000 in Texas. Bonuses are added of up to US$4,000 for teaching math/science. I would leave too!

Yadda

Yadda

Canada recruiting teachers from Jamaica? I don’t believe that. Not Canada at all. They leave Jamaica but [not] to come here and work as teachers. Now Mr Thwaites, what makes you think these people need your permission or will ever make any agreement with you to “sell” them teachers?

Maybe if you start respecting teachers and give them their due including the recognition of the value of their qualification then they will be wont to reconsider their options. Teachers are still waiting on you for that public apology requested in the submission made to you since 2012 that you have chosen to ignore. It is going to blow up on you.

Operation Chaos 1962-Present

Operation Chaos 1962-Present

Making laws that FORCE teachers to stay in a job that is grossly underpaying them will not work. Teachers are real people just like yourself. they have real desires like yourself to work and achieve the best in life. Tell your political party that corruption MUST end and in that way you will be able to find sufficient funds to pay not just teachers but other important members of the civil service. You can’t be driving Benz and Range Rovers, but making laws to keep teachers walking or barely able to drive a Nissan Sunny.

fieldgar

fieldgar

Wasn’t it about a year ago that the minister was telling teachers that they needed to identify other opportunities because there were no vacancies in the local teaching profession? Mr Thwaites, you can’t have your cake and eat it!

Cloud King

Mr Thwaites, remember there are close to 4,000 teachers in Jamaica for whom the country cannot provide jobs. Therefore, nothing is wrong if they seek or get employment overseas. Furthermore, people are free to move and work wherever they want in the world so please do not put a leash of any kind on these teachers who are being recruited.

John

John

@Cloud King: All he is saying is that appropriate notice should be given before teachers leave. Did you even read the article?

CarolJ

CarolJ

How can you claim to train someone who paid for their own education whether through loans or cash? These teachers are struggling to pay back student loans, etc. The only solution is to pay them properly. Nurses, teachers and doctors will continue to leave until someone realises that people need proper remuneration to survive! Why should someone make sacrifices to stay on top of their class and qualify themselves only to see the person who wasted their time in school able to earn more than they do?

Vladimir Putin

Vladimir Putin

I thought social sciences had us poised for take off!! LOL.

Brooklyn_Man

Brooklyn_Man

Stop waste time with protocol and deal with pay. From the days when my parents were slaving as teachers, unoo a talk bout sacrifice and nation building.

TotallyGriffo

TotallyGriffo

I believe a simple solution here is just offering more competitive remuneration and benefit packages to our local professionals, as the same phenomenon is affecting the private sector with an even higher level of attrition.

John

John

What is wrong with these leaders? You want teachers to stay, pay them better. All this talk about training, they had to pay for their college education. It was certainly not free. So now you going to try tie us down. You realise that your $4,000 increase did not make it. Try all you want, by any means necessary we leaving. no more arguing about raise a pay. Tell the “Politrickans” to go teach in the classroom, go work in the government office and go work in the hospital on the salary that we earn.

Devon Robins

Devon Robins

Good luck to you, Mr Thwaites. One thing I know is that people are free to live and work abroad in countries of their choice. Additionally, you cannot compel any country to assist in training teachers to fill the void left by resignations to take up offers abroad.

jamekya

jamekya

@Devon Robins: One of the effects of globalisation, dinosaurs will have a difficulty digesting this one.

Adam Albanowicz

Adam Albanowicz

Perhaps if remunerations were increased so that teachers with families could afford to stay on the island, then they would not leave just to give their kids an education.