MINISTER of state in the Ministry of Education and Youth Marsha Smith says the teaching of Spanish in schools will be boosted by a significant increase in the number of Cuban teachers employed.

Smith, who was addressing school administrators and other stakeholders as part of an orientation session for teachers in Runaway Bay, St Ann, recently said that 29 Cuban teachers arrived in the island on August 25 and will be deployed across the country.

She added that the 29 teachers and a coordinator will bring to 75 the number of Cubans in the education system, the first time so many teachers have arrived from one of Jamaica’s closest Caribbean neighbours over the years.

According to Smith, the increase in the number of Cuban teachers comes as the education ministry recruits overseas teachers to fill vacancies for the new school year after a number of Jamaican teachers have resigned to take up teaching positions overseas. “The new teachers, who are undergoing four days of orientation, will be deployed to their new schools. They will be teaching Spanish at both the primary and secondary levels, physics, chemistry, integrated science, and mathematics,” said Smith.

She pointed out that one of the 75 Cuban teachers already in the system is teaching French.

For her part, assistant chief Education Officer for Standards Development in the School Operation and School Improvement Services Branch, Dr Olivine Evans, said the partnership with Cuba has served Jamaica well over the past 27 years, noting that the Cuban teachers have a two-year contract with the option for a third-year extension based on their performance.

She explained that the purpose of the orientation sessions was to ensure that the transition of the teachers from the Cuban system to the Jamaican education system was seamless.

“The sessions are also geared at seeing how well they will be able to manage themselves in terms of safety and security and such matters as their remuneration and personal matters, such as opening bank accounts and getting their TRN,” said Dr Evans.

In the meantime, Cuban ambassador to Jamaica, Fermín Quiñones Sánchez, said that in excess of 530 teachers have taught in Jamaica under the programme with his country, adding that he is confident the current batch of teachers will give of their best as others have done before.

“The latest batch of teachers joins the more than 40 who are already here. Cuba is fully committed to the bilateral programme, which has seen our teachers coming to Jamaica and Jamaican students going to Cuba to study,” said Quiñones Sánchez.