KINGSTON, Jamaica — As Education Week begins, Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) President Mark Smith is calling for a “historic” investment in education locally and a rework of the Jamaica Teaching Council Bill which he describes as a “betrayal”.

Pointing out what he claimed to be significant flaws in the Bill, the president said: “The JTA, after two decades of advocacy on this Bill, feels betrayed as the Bill in its present form demonstrates that no meaningful effort was made to address the critical concerns raised by the teachers of Jamaica. A Bill that purports to professionalise the teaching service seems more obsessed with punitive sanctions and taking control of the profession away from teachers, rather than empowering our teachers.”

The president hinted at the possibility of industrial action in his address, indicating that the JTA was ready to take “all possible actions to halt the travesty”.

“This Bill must NOT be passed in its current form; the teachers of Jamaica will not forget this betrayal!” he warned.

Smith maintained that the JTA would continue to advocate unapologetically for the teachers to have greater agency and administration of their profession.

Passed in its current form in the Senate and heading to the Lower House, the landmark Jamaica Teaching Council Bill was spearheaded by Minister of Education Dana Morris Dixon. The Bill is aimed at regulating the profession and was passed after two decades of work, but it has received pushback from the Opposition about being too punitive.

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In terms of investment, Smith indicated that the JTA had joined forces with Education International, an umbrella group that represents over 33 million teachers in 180 countries through 375 member organisations and unions, to launch the “Go Public, Fund Education Campaign”.

The president described it as a call to action to demand a historic investment in education, aimed at catapulting Jamaica into the future by investing in its greatest resource — people.

Smith also called on politicians of the Jamaica Labour Party and People’s National Party, as well as policymakers, to support the movement financially and centre education in their political campaigning.

“There is no version of an economically sustainable, socially viable or progressive Jamaica that does not have education and God at the centre of its existence,” he said.

The president also encouraged educators, students and caregivers to roll with the proverbial punches of the rapidly changing world.

Celebrating under the theme “Safeguarding the Future of Education: Adapting to the Changing Landscape”, Smith said: “Our theme this year underscores the importance of safeguarding the future of education and by extension the nation, by adapting to the changing landscape of learning, geopolitical disruptions, social inequities and technological advancements.”

Smith also called for strategic investment in education to create an inclusive education system that nurtures every child, validating the diverse spectrum of human abilities and intelligences.

“A robust, inclusive, forward-thinking and well-resourced education system based on Godly principles is the key to unlocking sustainable growth, fostering social cohesion, while also creating a safer, more prosperous Jamaica for generations to come,” he said.