‘Teachers won’t forget JTC bill betrayal’

President of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) Dr Mark Smith yesterday blasted the proposed Jamaica Teaching Council (JTC) Bill as a “betrayal” to educators while warning that the association is prepared to take all necessary steps to block its passage.

“We stand ready to take all possible actions to halt this travesty!

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

He added that “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”.

He said the bill is heavy-handed and appears more focused on control than collaboration.

Smith, during his address at the JTA’s National Education Week church service, held yesterday at May Pen Methodist Church in Clarendon, urged the Government to address what he called significant flaws with the bill.

Smith denounced the proposed legislation, arguing that it prioritises punitive measures over professional empowerment.

The JTC Bill, which was recently passed in the Senate and is now before the House of Representatives, seeks to regulate the teaching profession, including standards for licensing and disciplinary action. However, the JTA contends that the legislation undermines the autonomy of educators and places too much regulatory power in the hands of external authorities.

Smith sought to make it clear that the JTA was not opposed to regulation or professional standards but insists that any framework must involve meaningful input from teachers themselves.

He also called for greater and more strategic investment in the sector at all levels.

“We call upon our policymakers to recognise education as the most powerful investment we can make for our country’s future.

“Now is the time for a bold and unprecedented investment in education, one that ignites a meaningful revolution in our human capital and shifts Jamaica towards a trajectory of true progress and national transformation,” he said.

Dr Smith also urged politicians to speak more strategically of their plans for education as a conduit to develop the nation’s human capital.

“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 JTA head at same time cautioned members against partisan division and appealed for unity among teachers.

“The truth is, there’s only one group that benefits from a weakened JTA, and that is whichever party forms government.

“We must never forget that both parties have their fingerprints on this bill, and so let us not be divided in our attempts to move forward,” he said.

Meanwhile, the education ministry’s Region 7 director, Barrington Richards, who extended apologies for the absence of Education Minister Senator Dr Dana Morris Dixon, underscored the importance of education and, in particular, the contribution of the nation’s teachers.

Pointing to the theme for the week - ‘Safeguarding the Future of Education Adapting to the Changes’ - he said it was very timely as it is a reminder that Education Week is not just a celebration, but a moment to pause, reflect and recommit to equity and access for all.

“It reminds us that education is not just a system, it is a national promise,” he said.

tanesha.mundle@gleanerjm.com