AMID all the celebration and deserved recognition of educators happening today sits a most uncomfortable matter that could, if Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) President Dr Mark Smith is correct, result in the island seeking to fill even more teacher vacancies than now exist.

Dr Smith made an appeal to legislators on Tuesday for amendments to some provisions in the Jamaica Teaching Council (JTC) Bill which was recently approved by the Senate and is now scheduled for further debate in the House of Representatives.

According to Dr Smith, the JTA supports the concept of the Bill, but the proposed law has a number of critical issues that must be tackled to ensure teachers are not exposed to injustice.

Among those issues is the composition of the board of the Jamaica Teaching Council which, he said, is not truly representative of the sector and the professionals it seeks to regulate.

Additionally, the JTA is not thrilled with the proposal for the JTC to be given greater power than school boards to discipline teachers.

Easily, though, the major concern relates to the provision that imposes sanctions on teachers who do not possess a licence to practise. Dr Smith pointed out that, under the proposed legislation, teachers who don’t have an up-to-date licence could be fined as much as $500,000.

Some teachers, he argued, could find themselves without a valid licence at any given time for a number of reasons, among them government bureaucracy affecting the length of time it takes to get a police record and other crucial documents.

There are, we gather, other issues of concern among teachers about this Bill which this country has been struggling to get passed and implemented for the past 21 years.

That extended delay is not something to be proud of, even as we accept that legislation of this importance has to be carefully thought through, debated and crafted.

The simple truth is that this Bill is designed to assist much-improved delivery of outcomes in education.

Essentially the law will establish the JTC as a statutory body; regulate entry, conduct, and professional development of teachers; maintain registers of teachers, role of instructors; enforce standards of teacher competence and ethics; and promote teaching as a respected, professional and accountable discipline aligned with Jamaica’s education transformation agenda.

The fact that the Bill was eventually passed with 38 amendments suggests that it contained many flaws which were presumably corrected.

However, let’s recognise that teachers are not satisfied. Their union has said that the underlying principles of the proposed law are far too restrictive and punitive, and do not enable and empower teachers.

Dr Smith has also said that the question of whether the Bill will meet any of its objectives or create more problems must be answered.

All sides in this matter, we suggest, need to meet before the Bill returns to the House and they must all come to the table with clean hands, a willingness to listen, and accept that compromises will have to be made.

In the meantime, we take this opportunity to salute all our dedicated teachers today. We, like all well-thinking Jamaicans, recognise and congratulate you for being not only educators but mentors and guides for countless young minds.

The role you play in nation building is unquestionable. Happy Teachers’ Day.