For the third time in five years the Andrew Holness Administration has announced that the long awaited and controversial Jamaica Teaching Council (JTC) Bill is to be put back on the front burner.

In 2017 Governor General Sir Patrick Allen, in delivering the Throne Speech during the Ceremonial Opening of Parliament, announced that another attempt would be made in the 2017-2018 parliamentary year to introduce legislation to establish the JTC, which would be aimed at licensing the island’s more than 25,000 public sector teachers.

Sir Patrick last year repeated that claim as he announced that the legislative agenda for the education sector for 2020-2021 would focus on establishing the JTC.

It was more of the same yesterday as Sir Patrick outlined the Government’s agenda for the 2021-2022 fiscal year which begins on April 1.

He told the sitting of the Senate — with members of the House of Representatives in attendance — that the JTC Bill is one area of focus for the Government as it reacts to the disruption of the education system caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic.

“For the new fiscal year, renewed focus will be on the Jamaica Teaching Council Bill, and amendments to the Education Act,” said the governor general.

The Education (Jamaica Teaching Council) Bill was first drafted in 2013 but had to undergo adjustments owing to concerns raised by the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA).

The JTA had argued that aspects of the legislation, as initially drafted, violated fundamental rights such as natural justice. It also objected to a provision which it said allowed for the suspension or the revocation of the teaching licence without due process.

In addition, the JTA expressed concern about the composition of the board of governors of the JTC, which it argued would be an agency of the Ministry of Education.

Just over two years ago, then Minister of Education Ruel Reid announced that the concerns of the JTA had been taken on board and a new draft of the legislation had been approved by Cabinet.

At that time, Reid said the legislation would establish a governing body for the teaching profession and introduce new procedures, such as professional disciplinary action for teachers and principals.

In the meantime, the governor general yesterday also outlined changes in the education sector to respond to COVID-19 which, he noted, has had a severely disruptive impact on the sector.

“We developed the Education in Emergencies Initiatives Plan, through which we outlined strategies to manage the crisis. While utilising technology to enrich and improve educational levels and move towards a fully connected and knowledge-based society has always been a priority, the pandemic has necessitated an acceleration of the Government’s plans.

“Efforts have been directed towards providing equitable access for all, and ensuring that we equip our students with 21st-century skills for the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” declared Sir Patrick.