Vernon Daley, Staff Reporter
JTA's president-elect, Paul Adams, addressing delegates at the 36th annual conference.
EDUCATION MINISTER Burchell Whiteman came under heavy fire from teachers yesterday as he attempted to defend a decision to cut roughly 300 teachers from the education system during the upcoming academic year.
Addressing teachers on the final day of the 36th annual conference of the Jamaica Teachers Association (JTA), the Minister said the cuts were necessary to address a problem of overstaffing in a number of the island's high schools.
The Minister said that high schools which are overstaffed have an excess of 578 teachers while those which are understaffed have a deficit of 132 teachers. In the primary schools, there is overstaffing to the tune of 565 educators, while understaffing in some schools reflect a shortage of 687 teachers.
He said the Ministry would be dealing with the problem by adhering to the guidelines of one teacher to 25 students in high schools and one teacher to 35 students in primary schools.
"The current estimates are that some 300 teachers might be affected, which is approximately two per cent of teachers," Mr. Whiteman said.
His disclosure was met by loud jeers from the over 300 teachers assembled for the conference at the Renaissance Jamaica Grande Hotel, in Ocho Rios. The Minister who attended the meeting with a large contingent of Ministry officials, found himself under constant pressure as teachers harshly criticised aspects of government's education policy.
President-elect of the JTA for 2000/2001, Paul Adams, gave a scorching criticism of the move and demanded that the Minister delay its implementation to allow the matter to be discussed by the organisation.
"Any process to separate teachers from their jobs, must be put before the Jamaica Teachers Association, discussed thoroughly in the interest of the children of this country and the teachers of this country," Mr. Adams said to loud cheers from the teachers. "I am saying Mr. Minister, don't go that route. That's a collision course and when the dust has settled, I don't want the country to lose!"
In responding to Mr. Adams, a visibly upset Mr. Whiteman said he would not be threatened into any position on the issue.
"We'll have dialogue, but please don't come and offer me any threats in here, about what I must stop. I am not stopping any process," the Minister angrily declared. However, his remarks were almost drowned about by the loud jeers from the audience.
Mr. Whiteman's suggestion that those who lose their jobs would be compensated under the provisions of the Pensions Act, did nothing to assuage the angry teachers.
The Minister said alongside measures to cut the excess number of teachers in the system, the Ministry has also been pursing other strategies to address the situation of mismatch in the schools. These, he said, include voluntary relocation of teachers to understaffed schools and the beefing up of the student population in schools which are under-populated.
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