Dear Editor,

My last column on the state of working conditions experienced by teachers and the Government’s new compensation reform has sparked deep interest among my colleagues at different levels within the education system.

Apart from the fact that I write a lot on related issues, I have come to realise many teachers consider me to be their voice. I received several e-mails and WhatsApp messages thanking me for speaking up for teachers.

One high school teacher said, “Thank you for saying clearly in a public forum what we all discuss only privately as teachers, perhaps because we don’t feel eloquent enough or correctly positioned to say something publicly. So I thank you for speaking for me, for putting into words what burns inside me.”

A French colleague of mine texted: “I really like your article, Oneil. You do not mince your words and your article captures everything. You are our voice. A bon entendeur salut … as the French say.”

By the time I thought I was done with receiving feedback, I got a lengthy e-mail from another colleague who has been a teacher for 35 years and a vice-principal for eight years.

“I acted as principal in January 2021 to October 2021. It must be noted that to date I have not been compensated for the acting position, even though the acting vice-principal received hers in April 2022. Several calls and visits [to the Ministry of Education (MOE)] yield the same response, ‘We are working on it.’

“As a classroom teacher my workload is very heavy, and I have to perform the duty of vice-principal with a lot of responsibilities. If you ask me, the [only] difference between me and the principal is she attends MOE meetings. Her salary far outweighs what I am receiving, but that’s not the worst part, the junior teachers, with less years of service, their compensation started at $500,000. When they took back all the allowances plus other deductions, I received s$90,000.”

She ended by saying, “The Government cannot be trusted, and whoever from the JTA [Jamaica Teacher’ Association] that signed the agreement left us vice-principals, senior teachers, and heads of department a pauper. Disgruntled.”

When I read that I immediately thought that the situation was blatantly evil. What is worse is that there is no clear information coming from the relevant officials or ministries. It must be frustrating doing this constant back and forth to try to sort out money that is due to you.

I overheard the JTA President LaSonja Harrison speaking on CVM TV recently. She disclosed that the technical oversight committee that is usually established in the negotiations process was not involved in this compensation reform. That seemed to have accounted for several of the glitches that were experienced with the reclassification of salaries and allowances. That situation was very unfortunate, to say the least. She has since called for the finance ministry and the other relevant stakeholders to treat with the matter with great urgency. This move should be supported not only by teachers but also all those who love the nation.

We understand that the system is not perfect, but it’s really not a time to cause our teachers to be even more frustrated.

A newspaper company recently reported that Prime Minister Andrew Holness is beseeching Jamaicans not to abandon the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP). Is the prime minister just realising that fire is at “mus mus tail”?

Both the JLP and the People’s National Party will have some serious work to do to convince the electorate to vote for their parties. But is the JLP really under pressure when there is a potential floor-crossing from the PNP’s Hugh Graham?

All in all, voter apathy will be high.

Oneil Madden

maddenoniel@yahoo.com