New beginning, same problems

With the new school year getting under way today, recently installed President of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) Mark Malabver is maintaining focus on the struggles being faced in the education system.

In his first back-to-school message yesterday, Malabver said many schools are continuing to experience overcrowding, lack of furnishings, and students learning in spaces that do not reflect the values of education that the country preaches.

While congratulating the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information for repairs carried out to some schools, the JTA president said equity in education is non-negotiable, pointing out that many students lack the basic supplies that will assist in their learning.

“Another challenge is the inequitable funding of education. Far too often, the quality of education a child receives depends on geography or circumstance. Some schools are well-resourced, while others struggle just to meet the basics. This imbalance undermines our commitment to equal opportunity and justice,” Malabver said. “The JTA continues to press for equity – because the child in rural St Mary is no less deserving than the child in Montego Bay, and the student in Clarendon must not have fewer chances than the student in Kingston. Equity in education is non-negotiable.”

Welcoming the start of another school year, he said that a new school year is always a special time, a moment filled with anticipation, fresh opportunities, and the promise of growth. Across the island, he said, parents are excited and hopeful; students are nervous yet eager; and teachers are already planning how best to give of themselves in service to Jamaica’s children.

“Let us embrace this new beginning with optimism and determination,” he said.

Not fair to teachers

Speaking of the challenges before teachers, he said that to call for excellence without addressing the burdens teachers face would not be fair to them.

“The first of these is wages. For too long, teachers in Jamaica have had to bear the burden of salaries that simply do not reflect the demands of the job. Every single data out of the Ministry of Education points to the fact that our teachers are among the best-performing teachers in this hemisphere. Wherever in the world Jamaican teachers go – whether in the boroughs of New York, the districts of London, or schools across Canada and beyond – when awards are given for excellence in teaching, it is our Jamaican teachers who so often rise to the top, standing tall and dominating those prizes. This is no accident. It is the fruit of their discipline, their creativity, and their unwavering commitment to excellence,” he said.

“The country, he said, has not always celebrated teachers as it should. As a nation, we cheer for our sporting and cultural icons – Usain Bolt, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Chris Gayle, Shaggy – heroes who carry the black, green, and gold with pride. But let us ask ourselves this question: Where is that same celebration for the teachers who taught them, nurtured them, and gave them their start – the quiet heroes that hold the very fabric of this nation together?” questioned Malabver.

Dignity, respect

Pointing out that celebrating teachers cannot be merely empty platitudes, he said they deserve proper compensation, equitable resources, and working conditions that reflect their true value as nation-builders.

“It is time – long past time – that we honour our teachers with the same pride, the same passion, and the same respect. For they are not just shaping classrooms, they are shaping the very future of Jamaica.” he said.

The ongoing negotiations, according to Malabver, are about more than figures on a sheet of paper; they are about dignity, fairness, and respect. They are about ensuring that teachers can provide for their families without sacrificing their calling to the profession.

“I assure you, colleagues, that your association remains resolute in its advocacy. We will continue to represent you with firmness and fairness until we reach a settlement that recognises our worth,” he said.

Lester Hinds