Education Minister Florizel Glasspole has outlined sweeping plans to strengthen Jamaica’s education system, with a focus on improving effectiveness rather than expanding institutions. Speaking at the Jamaica Teachers’ Association conference, he said the Government’s 1973–1977 policy will prioritise better administration, upgraded school facilities, improved teacher training, curriculum reform, and stronger collaboration with educators. 

Published Thursday, January 4, 1973

Glasspole tells JTA –

Govt aims for effective operation in education

The Minister of Education, the Hon Florizel Glasspole, said yesterday that “the broad outlines of the Ministry’s new policy on education for 1973 to 1977 are well established.”
Details of the policy would not be revealed until Budget time; nevertheless, he gave some pointers as to the direction it would take. He told teachers at the morning session of the ninth annual conference of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) at Mico College that “the main thrust of the policy in the next four years is to establish effectiveness in the education operation.” The emphasis would not be upon new institutions but rather upon functional programmes, he said.
To resounding applause from the teachers, the Minister said the expansion of facilities would continue in the effort to meet shortfalls in provision at all levels of education, with emphasis on qualitative development throughout the system.
Mr. Glasspole opened his address yesterday by paying tributes to the JTA, its pioneer leaders and their successors, and followed with a review of his ten months in office.
He mentioned the “legacy” he inherited of a Ministry administrative machinery in very poor shape; a Minister–JTA relationship lacking in confidence; a high percentage of untrained teachers in primary and all-age schools; dilapidated school buildings; lack of school accommodation so that the possibility of having 40 children to a class and of making compulsory education really effective was a dream; and poor performance in examinations, supported by statistics.
In the light of that “legacy”, he outlined the following priorities:
(1) to re-establish confidence among the staff of the Ministry, particularly the top brass, and to create a new administrative machinery capable of giving dynamic leadership in education and of handling administrative problems efficiently and speedily;
(2) to establish unending dialogue with the JTA, to take the association’s leadership more and more into the confidence of the Minister and the Ministry, and to make teachers know the facts and help to motivate them into a more dynamic role inside and outside the classroom;
(3) to take immediate steps to meet current emergency problems as best as possible; and
(4) to create a policy that would form a springboard for the next four years of educational thrust and activities by the Ministry, strongly supported by the JTA.
In meeting those requirements, Mr Glasspole said an Educational Planning Department had been set up under Mr. Ross Murray, and an Education Performance Section under Mr S. W. Fagan, Chief Education Officer, to be responsible for execution of programmes.
The Planning Department would gather statistics, engage in forward planning of school expansion, examine the operations of teacher training colleges, and come up with proposals calculated to improve the quality and quantity of education being given.
Mr Glasspole mentioned the four-phase programme for improving primary and all-age school buildings, the first phase of which was nearly completed.
On teacher training, Mr Glasspole referred to the joint committee of representatives of the JTA, principals of teacher training colleges, the Institute of Education, and heads of secondary high schools. “The committee is united in its determination to improve the quality of training in college,” he said.
On the question of in-service training, the Minister said discussions were taking place with the University of the West Indies about such training for secondary school teachers, noting that the need was as great as it was for teachers of primary and all-age schools.
Exam Board
An “exciting” team, led by consultant Miss Shirley Gordon, was working on curriculum development, and an examinations board, to be chaired by Dr. Errol Miller, principal of Mico College, had been established with responsibility for advising the Minister on all aspects of the Jamaica School Certificate Examination and the Ninth Grade Test.
The Minister expressed pleasure at the success of the experimental shift system employed at Jones Town Primary School and Tarrant Junior Secondary School.
“As I see it, the shift system is going to be the only way that we can meet the problem of finding accommodation for the large number of children seeking entry into our schools,” he said.
If the Government waited to construct new buildings or find sufficient teachers for new buildings, a large number of children would grow up illiterate, and the Government would be compelled to launch another literacy campaign four or five years hence, Mr. Glasspole said.
He told the teachers that working parties had been set up to visit major towns where pressure was greatest, examine facilities and accommodation provided, assess needs, submit reports, and make projections for the next five years. He also invited teachers to visit schools carrying out the experiment, as the shift system might eventually reach their schools.

Better relations
The relationship between the Ministry and the JTA was next addressed by the Minister. The atmosphere had been changed as a result of monthly meetings at which teachers’ working conditions and terms of service, as well as educational matters, were discussed.
Answering criticisms on the appointment of school boards, Mr. Glasspole gave details of how he was prepared to investigate complaints. He said it would interest teachers to learn that a guidance brochure for board chairmen and members would soon be issued by the Ministry, and seminars with boards and teachers were being planned. Copies of the brochure would also be sent to school heads.
The Minister said teachers would be called upon to assume a major role in the development and restructuring of the educational system. He wished to see the teaching profession exalted to the highest possible level, but warned teachers: “The extent to which you are exalted depends completely on the extent to which you yourselves make an impression and impact in the country. Even the fight for improved salaries must depend entirely on the extent to which you can show the country that you are determined to tackle the educational problems of Jamaica. The challenge is before you.”
He urged teachers to recapture the spirit and dedication of their forerunners and suggested that the JTA condemn those who, by certain actions, “betray the cause of teachers.”
The Minister received a standing ovation at the end of the address, for which the president-elect, Mr. Victor Edwards, proposed the vote of thanks. Mr. Edwards praised the Minister’s approach to his task, in which he said he had the teachers’ support.
 

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