MOUNTAIN SPRING, Trelawny — Newly installed president of Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) Dr Mark Smith told Education Minister Fayval Williams Monday night that teachers, if compensated, would not opt to migrate in droves in search of greener pastures.

He was delivering the presidential address during the investiture ceremony at the 60th annual JTA conference being held at Ocean Coral Spring Hotel in Trelawny, at which Williams was present.

“How in 2024 is this [low wage for teachers] still a struggle in Jamaica? Minister, the majority of our teachers will stay if they’re better paid!” Dr Smith said to thunderous applause from delegates.

“Our schools are struggling to keep pace with the migration of high school teachers [and] also in primary schools [where we lose science, technology and mathematics teachers]. Our present reality is a precarious one, at best. Despite possessing the local capacity within our teacher training institutions we’re seeing dwindling numbers. The profession is just not attractive,” he lamented.

“We have to change that dynamic,” said Smith.

President of Education International Mugwena Maluleke, in his address to the conference, expressed similar sentiments.

“The improvement of working conditions is key because a UN [United NAtions] panel has emphasised the need for decent working conditions and competitive wages for our teachers. We believe that this will help to attract and retain the teachers in the profession,” Maluleke said.

“We believe if you continue with your teachers’ professional development, as part of the recommendation of the UN high panel, you will be able to address some of the problems of demands and supply in the country. This will enhance teacher satisfaction and effectiveness in reducing turnover rates,” he added.

“At Education International we stand with you in addressing these challenges and we will provide toolkits which will assist you with a multifaceted approach, including improving teacher salaries, working conditions, investing in teacher training, and exploring innovative solutions. We also have developed toolkits to help the lobbying for the implementation of the recommendation from the UN Secretary General’s high-level panel on the teaching profession,” the South African native stated.

In his inaugural speech, Smith also highlighted teacher migration as a global issue.

The Ministry of Educations plans to recruit overseas teachers for the 2024/25 academic year, which is set to be discussed at the conference.

Past JTA President Dr Garth Anderson moved a resolution urging the Ministry of Education and Youth to outline its retention strategies for local teachers and to provide a detailed plan that goes beyond merely recruiting foreign educators by the end of November 2024.

In a recent statement, immediate past president of the JTA Leighton Johnson expressed disappointment and concern over the Ministry of Education’s decision to recruit overseas educators, noting that while the decision is a measure to mitigate the current teacher shortage across the country, it highlights a significant issue that requires urgent attention and collaborative action.