By Denise Clarke, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
RETIRED TEACHERS in western Jamaica are being asked to register at the Ministry of Education's regional office, as part of a contingency plan to ensure that classrooms are adequately staffed come September, the start of the new school year.
The request comes against the background of on-going recruitment of teachers by agencies from the United Kingdom, the United States and Caribbean islands, a situation that could result in a shortage of teachers.
"Retired teachers are invited to have themselves registered at the Regional Office that should the need arise, these teachers can be called on to fill the vacancies which may occur because of the aggressive recruitment drive ...by overseas interest," said Jean Reid, community relations officer at the Education Ministry's Region IV office in Montego Bay, St. James. She was speaking yesterday at a scholarship awards ceremony at Sandals Montego Bay.
NO INDICATION
She told The Gleaner later in an interview, that there was no indication that there was a shortage of teachers in the western region. But she said retired teachers were being asked to come forward, should a shortage become evident when the new school year begins.
"We do have enough teachers, but we are just making sure that when September morning comes if there is any shortage anywhere we have persons there."
In recent years scores of teachers, enticed by higher salaries and added benefits, have left the island's classroom leaving many schools scrambling to replace their staff.
Ms. Reid said that most schools in the region were ready for reopening in just over a week's time. Furniture, textbooks and grants were being disbursed to schools, and repairs are being carried out, she said.
