Tashieka Mair, Gleaner Writer
Jamaica Teachers' Association President-elect Hopeton Henry (left) is in discussion with Alvin Vaz (centre), teacher at Eli Whinney Technical High School in the United States, and Olusegun Sogunuro from Central Connecticut State University, also in the U.S. All three are attending the International Conference on Learning in Montego Bay, St. James. - PHOTO BY HERBERT MCKENNIS
WESTERN BUREAU:
PRESIDENT-ELECT OF the Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA), Hopeton Henry, said the Government must consider extending the retirement age for teachers to stem the current shortage in the education system.
Mr. Henry, who was speaking on a number of issues at the 13th International Conference on Learning held at the Montego Bay Community College, yesterday, noted that with many of the teachers preparing for retirement, and with others seeking employment abroad, this will further affect the already crisis-riddled education system.
"Teachers are being recruited in other countries as we speak, so there will be a severe shortage and I don't see the catching up because the capacity for training is not yet in place for the extra teachers that we are going to need unless they retain some of those persons who are going to be retired shortly," Mr. Henry said.
'DO IT QUICKLY'
"So I think the Government would have to look at the issue relating to retirement and extending the age," he said, adding, "This is something they need to do very quickly because as a developing country I don't think we can afford to retire our able-bodied persons at age 60 given the lack of capacity for the training of persons to take over."
The president-elect added that teachers' colleges and other institutions did not have the capacity to turn out the 5,000 or more teachers that are going to be needed by 2010.
The conference, which is held annually in different locations around the world, was this year held under the theme 'Live Issues in Education'. The conference ends on Sunday.
