PRESIDENT of the Jamaica Association of Principals and Vice-principals, Linvern Wright is suggesting greater reliance on pre-trained teachers to fill gaps in the educational sector during the annual exodus of educators.

His comments come in the wake of the British Virgin Islands’ recent announcement that it is preparing to recruit high school teachers to fill a gap.

“The code of regulations now recognises [pre-trained teachers], and I think we may have to look at getting them in and just doing some on-the-job training, hoping we can inspire some of them to remain in it. They would be better than not having anybody with the children at all. I don’t think we can insist now on qualifications,” Wright told the Jamaica Observer.

“The Jamaica Teaching Council Bill cannot operate outside of the context of our children not having any teachers,” he added, noting that there are provisions in the Bill to allow individuals to work towards becoming fully qualified.

“We hope that aspect of it does give that leeway for that to happen but certainly, given what is happening, we are going to have to be flexible because other nations are drawing away the best that we have and we’ll just have to almost start all over again,” he warned.

Jamaican teachers have long sought opportunities in other countries, lured by more attractive remuneration and better working conditions.

Wright said the current vacancies within the education system are “of grave concern”.

“We have written to the Ministry of Education — the minister herself — and we’re expecting a meeting in person to discuss things. We don’t know the exact numbers but the numbers that we are hearing are very high. Some schools have resignations already, others [teachers] are waiting to get their confirmation before they resign,” he told the Observer.

He said vacancies were particularly noticeable for subject areas within the industrial arts, which covers technology, building construction and technical drawing, as well as English.

“We have a concern that we may have a serious problem with English language teachers come September,” said Wright, who is also principal of William Knibb Memorial High School.

The usual ads for vacancies have started to appear in newspapers as administrators prepare for the next academic year. Central High School in Clarendon needs 25 teachers to fill both full-time and eight-month vacancies. Of that number, seven are required for English language and literature.

“With seven English teachers out, it will be more complicated when principals from other schools apply for English teachers as well,” Central High’s Principal Stellavit Ingram told the Observer.

He said he has been receiving applications, and he has observed a trend.

“I’ve noticed that many teachers are moving around in the parish. People want to be closer to work and to family,” Ingram explained.

One English teacher at Central High, who has plans to pursue an opportunity abroad, said the school’s English department is losing teachers.

“I am pursuing a programme for the UK as well. I did the interview already and I’m waiting on the next round, so it is very, very true — the English department at Central High School is being emptied,” said the educator who asked not to be identified.

Wright is concerned about the long-term impact the loss of experienced teachers in critical subjects will have on the country.

“We have a serious literacy problem in Jamaica. It’s not just about reading; it’s about comprehension, it’s about writing at a level that we want. Universities, we know, have had an issue with people’s writing skills, and if you have your best teachers going, who are clear about how to get people to write better, then we are going to have an issue,” he said.

“The real issue for me, as a principal, is that literacy and numeracy levels and the competency in specific subject areas are going to be affected,” he stressed.