Education Ministry to give update on teacher shortage later Monday
Jamaicans are expected to hear later today the full extent of teacher shortage in public schools for the new school year which commenced on Monday.
Minister of Education, Fayval Williams, told OBSERVER ONLINE that resignations make it hard for schools to pivot when they receive them on the day of school or just a few days before school reopens.
“Before the end of the day we will get a report from all our regions as to what is happening and what issues are there. I want to say that I think everyone is aware that there is global shortage of teachers in our major partner countries, like the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Many of our teachers have been recruited in those countries. We are looking at schools that are still in need of teachers. A main reason for that is the lack of notice from the teachers who have resigned,” Williams said.
The Jamaica Observer visited a number of schools in the Corporate Area on Monday. While some of them could not provide updates on teacher resignations, principal of Kingston College (KC), Dave Myrie, said that the institution is short of teachers and is looking forward to having the gap filled as soon as possible.
“We are busy trying to find [replacements]. Every week we are advertising. Having classes without teachers is always going to be a problem,” Myrie said.
At other secondary and primary institutions, orientation sessions took up most of the morning and were expected to run until the end of the school day. The Observer learned that some schools will continue orientation throughout this week and will begin to fully host all their students next week.
It was a busy first day at the Alpha and St Aloysius primary schools in Central Kingston as excited students crowded the compounds of both institutions, while their parents were taken through sensitisation and orientation sessions.
At the Convent of Mercy, Alpha, new students entering seventh grade were given a very warm welcome on Monday, as staff and parents took pictures of the new pupils who were gathering inside a hall for devotion.
