CORAL SPRING, Trelawny — Immediate past president of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) Mark Malabver is calling on the Ministry of Education to place greater emphasis on developing sporting infrastructure in schools, arguing that Jamaica’s success on the international sporting stage must be matched by investment at the grass-roots level.

Malabver made the call on Wednesday during the final day of the JTA’s 62nd Annual General Conference at Ocean Coral Spring hotel in Trelawny, where he questioned whether the country was doing enough to provide schools with the facilities needed to identify and nurture sporting talent.

He noted that while considerable attention was being placed on the development of infrastructure for science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) and science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM), sports should also form an important part of the development agenda.

“Minister, I see the STEM, I see the STEAM, where is the sports in all of this?” Malabver asked.

He said Jamaica had demonstrated repeatedly what could be achieved through sports, particularly in track and field, but argued that the country had not capitalised sufficiently on that success by building the infrastructure needed to develop young athletes.

Jamaica Teachers’ Association immediate past President Mark Malabver (second left) speaks during the Jamaica Teachers’ Association 62nd Annual General Conference at Ocean Coral Spring Hotel in Trelawny on August 19, 2026. Also pictured are (from left) Jamaica Teachers’ Association President-elect Dr Maureen Mullings Nelson, Education Minister Senator Dr Dana Morris Dixon, her State minister Rhoda Moy Crawford, and permanent secretary in the education ministry Senator Marlon Morgan. Photo: Horace Hines

Malabver suggested that funding could be redirected or shared across ministries to address deficiencies in sporting facilities at schools.

“Maybe it is that you have to raid Ministry of Sports to get funds to invest in the infrastructure in many of our schools,” he said, pointing to the need for facilities such as tracks at schools that currently lack them.

He highlighted the example of young sprint sensation Shanoya Douglas, who rose to prominence while attending Muschett Comprehensive High School in Trelawny before moving to Holland High for sixth form.

Malabver said Douglas’ success underscored the importance of ensuring that schools have adequate facilities to support talented youngsters, particularly those emerging from communities where sporting infrastructure is limited.

Education Minister Senator Dr Dana Morris Dixon, who was responding to questions from the floor, said the Government was already exploring ways to increase support for school sports through existing funding sources.

She said her ministry was in dialogue with the Sports Development Foundation (SDF), which has a mandate to support the development of sports, on how more of its resources could be directed towards schools.

“In terms of sports, one of the things I do is also look where other money is. If I don’t have it in education, it may be somewhere else,” Morris Dixon said.

She explained that discussions with the SDF were focused particularly on providing assistance to emerging schools and broadening support beyond track and field.

Morris Dixon noted that schools were increasingly participating in disciplines such as volleyball, hockey, lacrosse and netball, and said the Government wanted to encourage wider sporting development.

“We’re already in dialogue with SDF on that, so the sports side is absolutely important,” she said.

The JTA conference was held under the theme “Reformation Now: Rebuilding a Resilient Education System Buoyed by Eternal Father and Unrelenting Unionism.”