THE NATIONAL Education Qualification Authority (NEQUA), which will have legal responsibility for the certification and licensing of teachers, will be established within 12 to 18 months.
This was disclosed by Education Minister Maxine Henry-Wilson during the 41st annual conference of the Jamaica Teachers' Association in Ocho Rios, St. Ann.
However, Mrs. Henry-Wilson noted that there are legal implications that must be addressed before the implementation of a licensing system, noting that the education code and the Education Act will have to be examined.
Addressing an audience of over 200 delegates, she reassured them that licensing of teachers is not to be perceived as another method of "getting rid of teachers".
According to her, all professions are constantly reviewing and upgrading their professional skills, and this is an opportunity for teachers to improve themselves professionally.
In opening the 2005/2006 sectoral debate in May, Mrs. Henry-Wilson had said government would seek to introduce a licensing and recertification system for all teachers this year, as part of its efforts to raise the quality of teacher performance.
The aim, as recommended by the task force on education, is to ensure that all teachers complete a bachelor's degree in education. Additionally, holders of degrees in a subject discipline with no teacher training must complete at least a diploma in teacher education.
A BID TO BOOST COMPETENCE
The Education Minister said that initial licensing of teachers would be based on appropriate qualifications with re-licensing taking place every five years.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Henry-Wilson said that a programme would be implemented to register retired teachers and use them in the education system in a bid to boost competence.
Mrs. Henry-Wilson also addressed the idea of performance-based pay, and told the conference that teachers should be rewarded for performance. To this end, she noted that stakeholders will have to collaborate on developing other mechanisms and strategies that will make it possible to link the increment of teachers' salaries to their performance.
She stressed that her ministry is not seeking to pay by performance, but to reward teachers for extraordinary performance.
