Dear Editor,

Please allow me time to express my concerns as a trained graduate teacher with a PhD.

The discussion surrounding the wage increase and reclassification for teachers is misinformed and erroneous. The sad part of this is the failure of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) and in particular Clayton Hall and Mark Nicely to educate and rebut the political directorate, media, and the wider community about the correct percentage increases that teachers received.

The education system is very complex and so too are the wage scales. Teachers are classified in several teaching bands with the following headings: pretrained, pretrained graduate, trained graduate, work experience, guidance counsellors, master teacher, vice-principal, and principal. Thus, the first point to note is that each of these categories of teachers are paid differently. Classification is based on experience, qualification, and responsibilities. For example, a pretrained graduate is a person with a degree but without a diploma in teaching.

So if a teacher has a degree in history, this teacher is considered a pretrained graduate. For one to be considered a trained graduate, this person must have a bachelor’s degree in education or a bachelor’s as well as a Postgraduate Diploma in Education. For example, this teacher must have a BA in history education or a BA in history as well as a Postgraduate Diploma in Education.

Trained graduates comprise the largest portion of the teaching profession and teachers that fall within this category have been given a raw deal in the compensation review. The Ministry of Finance and the Public Service is reported to have published a document which showed that trained graduate teachers received an increase of 61-75 per cent. This figure is incorrect. More recently, people on social media have been claiming that teachers received a 100 per cent increase. Again, this is incorrect.

When we protested before the signing of the agreement, the trained graduate teachers asked the ministry to reclassify us properly, with a base of $3-3.5 million annually. The ministry said they were not able to meet us at $3.5 million. So a late offer was made for $3 million at point 1 of the trained graduate scale for April 2024. This is next year. The previous net salary for a trained graduate at point one was $135,429.52.

Trained graduates at the first point of their band will see changes to their salaries as follows: 2022 – $2,520,078; 2023 – $2,825,00; and 2024 – $3 million annually.

The Government and the JTA spoke of a minimum increase of 20 per cent on the net salary; thus, I will present the net salary for this scale: 2022 – $167,607.22; 2023 – $184,106.04; and 2024 – $193,575.00. The percentage net increase follows: 2022 – 24 per cent; 2023 – 36 per cent and 2024 – 43 per cent.

There are a few points to highlight:

1) Trained graduates, who are the majority, did not receive 100 per cent.

2) The previous net at the first point of the trained graduate scale was $134,429.52; it is now $184, 106.04.

3) The new pay structure does not take into account trained graduates with masters and PhDs.

4) The agreement signed spoke of salary increases in the context of net and not gross.

5) Trained graduates are demoralised by the restructuring.

6) Finance Minister Nigel Clarke should not present the salaries of principals as justification for increasing the salaries of the political directorate. He should focus on the trained graduate teachers who are largely othered by the review process.

Oneil Hall

oneil.hall@hotmail.com