A significant number of the teacher vacancies in schools islandwide, resulting from the resignation of approximately 248 educators, have now been filled, Minister of Education and Youth, Fayval Williams, has said.
Addressing a virtual back-to-school press briefing on Thursday (September 1), she advised that institutions have been identifying and recruiting qualified teachers to replace those who have exited the classrooms.
Williams cited Region Two, which comprises, St. Thomas, Portland, and St. Mary, where she said 80 per cent of the schools reported that they have replaced teachers who have resigned.
The minister further indicated that one Corporate Area school, which lost 16 teachers, “[has] replaced all except one of those”.
She said that in Region Four, which comprises St. James, Westmoreland, and Hanover, approximately 75 per cent of vacancies have been filled, while interviews for additional teachers are ongoing.
The Minister advised that approximately 964 persons graduated from teachers’ colleges this year, in different specialisations.
Williams said the Ministry has provided principals with several strategies they can use in recruiting teachers.
These, she indicated, were conveyed in a bulletin to Board chairpersons and principals.
Additionally, the minister said a virtual meeting was recently held with more than 900 principals to “walk through the various strategies”.
“We put out 15 different strategies, and just recently we added to that the approval that we would have gotten from the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service for teachers who are on their long leave, whether it is four months or eight months… if they are so willing, to come back and be their own replacement. That is a facility that is now available to our schools,” Williams outlined.
She noted that it has proven challenging, when teachers go on long leave, to identify replacements to work for four or eight months… “so I know that many school principals are very happy for this facility”.
Meanwhile, Williams disclosed that a platform is being created to allow persons seeking employment as teachers to upload their résumés.
“Principals will be able to see at a glance… persons who want to come into the teaching profession. It will allow greater efficiency in terms of connecting schools to teachers, [and] getting those interviews done. It’s a facility for the education sector that will make it easier for those looking to meet up with those who are hiring,” she pointed out.
The 2022/23 academic year begins on Monday, September 5.
