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NAME OF FEATURE | THE GLEANER | SUNDAY, JUNE 9, 2024 8 By Patrick Smith APART FROM the Church, the schoolhouse was the only social institution for the masses of Jamaicans in the many decades following Emancipation. Catholicism was displaced by Anglicanism with the advent of the English and became the colonial religion after 1655. Other non-conformist sects made their appearance up to the latter 18th century and with the indomitable African presence, created a menagerie of faiths, beliefs, and systems of worship. The Church and the School were the two pillars of social engineering in the run-up to Emancipation and several decades thereafter. The Emancipation Act had, at its core, THREE issues: freeing the enslaved people, compensation to their former owners and “…improving the industry of the manumitted slaves.” In compliance with the last, the colonial authority in 1835 passed the Negro Education Act aimed at the establishment of elementary education for the children of the emancipated people. The rudimentary education system contemplated was designed to create a class of manual workers to perpetuate the plantation system, post-Emancipation, and to preserve the socio-economic-political order. Schools had been established in Jamaica by the Church, through grants and bequests from as early as the 1720s. These were largely for the education of the children of the planter and mercantile classes. A grant, resulting from the so-called Negro Education Act, was aimed at establishing elementary schooling on a wider basis, and was augmented by funds made available by the denominations and bequests. By the 1860s there were 394 schools in Jamaica managed by seven denominations, with the Anglicans having the largest share. That number grew to 962 by 1894. By 1910 there were only 68 Government schools, representing under 10 percent of elementary schools, the total number having been reduced to 693 island-wide. CLERGYMEN AS EDUCATORS Education was delivered mainly by clergymen and their assistants before the 1838 establishment of the Mico College, the early training institution established by the Moravians at Fairfield and the Ebeneezer, run by the Presbyterians in the 1870s to train young men for the mission. It was out of these early beginnings that later emerged Education Associations in Kingston, Porus and Troja, the first of which was established in 1884. By the time a modified form of self-government was introduced, after the abolition of the old plantocratic representational system, there was a small but significant number of educated black people to offer themselves for representational politics. It was these teachers of the early training colleges who blazed a scorching trail in political life in the latter part of the 19th century, after the restoration of a limited form of representative government in 1892. The popular rebellion in Morant Bay in October 1865 had been met with swift reprisals and the abolition of the Old Representative System, dominated by the planter and mercantile classes. In 1894 the five educational associations coalesced with the Jamaica Union of Teachers (JUT), after an inaugural conference in Spanish Town. From that point, the teachers became an important part of the political development of the Jamaican society. The JUT became a bastion in the struggle for rights and opportunities for the fledgling political system. It must, however, be stated from the outset that the Jamaica Union of Teachers was never countenanced as a trade union in the way we see it today. It was tolerated as a benevolent organisation with school managers and the clergy numbering among its rank and file. Indeed, many of the early leaders were headmasters and lay preachers. The union became quite influential, and its members served in numerous colonial agencies and organisations. By 1892 free elementary education was introduced with the passing of the Elementary and Secondary Education Laws. The law established, among other things, the Board of Education as the body responsible for the educational vote and for resolving disputes between teachers and managers and teachers and inspectors. The JUT was also represented on the Board, a practice which persists to the present. TEACHER IN THE LEGISLATURE After 1894 also, there was always a teacher sitting as a member in the pre-and post-independence legislature. In that regard, the teachers’ influence spanned the schoolhouse to Kings House FROM THE SCHOOLHOUSE TO KING’S HOUSE The teacher’s role in national development in pre- and post-independent Jamaica Patrick R. Smith Noel Monteith Howard Cooke Edwin Allen Burchell Whiteman PLEASE SEE HOUSE, 46 JTA 60TH ANNIVERSARY FEATURE
NAME OF FEATURE | THE GLEANER | SUNDAY, JUNE 9, 2024 10 Prepared by: Sandra Hunter APRIL 2, 1964, marked a pivotal moment in Jamaica’s history of teacher support. It saw the formal unification of 5 teachers’ unions/associations [Jamaica Union of Teachers, (JUT); Association of Headmasters and Headmistresses, (H2H2); Association of Teachers in Technical Institutions (ATTI); the Association of Teacher Training staffs (ATTS); and the Association of Assistant Masters and Mistresses (A2M2)] to form the Jamaica Teachers’ Association. (http://www.jta.org.jm) As a “new” union, the Association proudly highlights numerous accomplishments while fulfilling the mandate to support the education system. It is crucial to reflect on the union’s journey and the substantial contributions made as we unite to advocate for improved salaries and working conditions for educators across Jamaica. The theme for this yearlong celebration, ‘Preserving the Legacy: Remaining Relevant for the Future’, encapsulates a commitment to honouring the past while also preparing for the challenges and opportunities of the future. Over the past six decades, the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) has played a pivotal role in advocating for the rights and welfare of teachers, promoting excellence in education, and championing the interests of students. Collectively, numerous strides have been made to improve working conditions, enhance professional development and advance policies to benefit the education system as a whole. The benefits acquired often require constant defence and vigorous advocacy, particularly as successive political figures endeavour to dismantle the established “Conditions of Service.” Accordingly, history records that, “a battle never stays won. Rights and freedoms have to be constantly defended.. (and) won again and again. Unfortunately, history places no obligation on those who have not lived through its incidents; memories are short and issues once resolved have an ugly habit of reappearing as if they had never been considered before.” – (Sybil Shack, President, 1960 61) As I interrogated the Chronology of Achievements published by the Jamaica Teachers’ Association, aiming to curate 60 significant accomplishments that have profoundly impacted the education landscape, I encountered considerable challenges. The breadth of impactful milestones is extensive, with much more than 60 notable achievements readily identifiable. Consequently, I amalgamated certain elements to distil my selection down to the following 60 accomplishments: 1 In 1966 the Association won bargaining rights to negotiate teachers’ salaries and fringe benefits. One such benefit was the Study leave facility (6 months with full pay and 6 months with no pay instituted in the 1966 post-Independence Code of Regulations) 2 In 1971 the Association hosted the World Confederation of Organizations of the Teaching Profession (WCOTP) Congress in Kingston; and the Position of Liaison Officer was created to facilitate easy interaction with the Ministry of Education 3 1973 saw the first Reclassification of the teaching service and there was the classification of Primary and All Age Schools into Grades (1 - V) and Secondary Schools according to a System of points (I - IV) 4 Parity of pay for all positions at the tertiary level was instituted 5 There was the establishment of Post of Special Responsibility (POSR) [senior teachers] 6 In 1976, the introduction of health coverage through Blue Cross (now Sagicor) became a standard practice, ensuring ongoing healthcare provisions. 7 1977 saw the institution of compensation for teachers injured in the performance of duties 8 Roll of Honour in recognition of distinguished service in the field of education was introduced. 9 In 1979 the first Regional Office was established in western Jamaica (Montego Bay) 10 1981 saw the revival of the Annual Primary, All Age and Junior High Schools Athletics Championships. This was first staged in May 1962. 11 Seniority Allowance was introduced and was to be payable to teachers (though not being enforced now, one cannot say that it will never be applicable again). 12 Death Benefits for teachers who die in service were instituted. 13 Increments for additional qualifications were introduced. 14 Payment of Housing Allowance to Principals of schools without cottages became a benefit. 15 In 1982 the Contact Teacher Programme was instituted and Annual Seminars began. This is very important to professional development. 16 In 1983 Principals, Work Experience Supervisors, Supervisors of Teaching Practice and Guidance Counsellors designated Travelling Officers 17 Teachers eligible to work as locum tenens while on leave 18 Duty Concession could be accessed by designated Travelling Officers 19 Shift Allowance to Principals of institutions on shift was introduced. 20 In 1984 Annual seminars for new teachers instituted. These seminars are aimed at professional orientation of new entrants into the teaching service. 21 1985 Remuneration for POSR to be a percentage of minimum of Certificate scale (4%, 8%, 12%) was introduced. 22 Vice Principals in Primary and All Age Schools were to be paid according to their qualification plus 16% of minimum of Certificate Scales 23 Principals with cars were eligible for full Upkeep Allowance and those without cars for Transport Allowance. Additionally, Vice-Principals with car were to be designated as Travelling Officers and could receive Commuted Allowance. VicePrincipals without a car were to receive Transport Allowance Sixty (60) in Sixty (60) The Diamond Selection PLEASE SEE SIXTY, 12 JTA 60TH ANNIVERSARY FEATURE Sandra Hunter The Roll of Honour is one of the big creations of the last 60 years of the JTA. In this picture, honouree in 2010, then Chief Education Officer Wesley Barrett (centre) is seen with plaque and citation, in the company of dignitaries led by Governor General Sir Patrick Allen (right), Opposition Spokesman on Education Burchell Whiteman (left), Warren McDonald General Manager at Berger Paints and Nadine Molloy, JTA President.
NAME OF FEATURE | THE GLEANER | SUNDAY, JUNE 9, 2024 11 JTA 60TH ANNIVERSARY FEATURE LET’S ESTABLISH at the very outset one inescapable, indisputable fact: the JTA, at its very core, is a union. All turns on that reality. It is a union of PROFESSIONALS, and duly registered as such consistent with the laws of Jamaica. The union, JTA, is a member of the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions; a founding member of the Caribbean Union of Teachers; Education International (a successor organisation to the WCOTP); and enjoys affiliation with the National Union of Teachers, UK; the Canadian Teachers Federation and several others. The over 24,000 teachers employed in public and private institutions in Jamaica have relied on its services over the last 130 years, and, most assuredly the last 60 years to improve their salaries and general benefits. The Jamaica Teachers’ Association was created to be the bargaining unit for teachers in their quest to earn a salary consistent with their status, skills and social standing in a society which seeks to perpetuate values consistent with a modern democratic society. Negotiations are marshalled and led by a Salaries and Conditions of Service Committee. The current structure of the Committee is the result of the 1964 amalgamation of the five pre-existing sectoral unions (Association of Teacher Training Staffs, representing the lecturers of teacher training institutions; Association of Assistant Masters and Mistresses, representing high school teachers; Association of Headmasters and Head Mistresses, representing principals of high schools, and Association of Teachers in Technical Institutions; and the Jamaica Union of Teachers, created by teachers of primary schools (formerly referred to as elementary schools). The Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association reflects this multi-sectoral nature and so crafted the Salaries and Conditions of Service Committee to reflect this. The mandate of the Committee is as follows: It shall, inter alia: 1. Consist of 7 members representing different sections of the teaching service and have the power to co-opt additional members. 2. Keep under constant scrutiny and review the salaries and the conditions prevailing in the teaching service, especially as these relate to members of the Association, examine the salary scales of teachers, to relate these to living standards and costs, to seek to discover their effect on the teachers’ social and economic life, to collect and collate information on the subject and to make such recommendations and representations as will bring the greatest benefit to the members of the Association, and shall investigate and make recommendations for improvement in the teachers’ conditions of service generally, as well as in special cases. The Committee, like all the others, is chaired by a nominee recommended by the President and approved at Annual Conference. The Committee is the largest with representatives from every sector of the education system. The Committee is headed by the chairman who reports regularly to the Council and the Central Executive. It meets regularly or as may be deemed necessary, and is mandated to present reports to Annual Conference, quarterly meetings of the General Council and monthly Central Executive. The President and Secretary General are also members, with the Deputy Secretary General who has portfolio responsibility for the subject providing technical support. The Team may also be assisted by such personnel with expertise deemed necessary by the Committee. HOW IT WORKS The Committee prepares a CLAIM on the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service. This claim usually is of a two-year duration, April to March. The claim is the product of submissions gleaned from questionnaire responses received by the Member Services and Industrial Relations Unit and approved at the Annual Conference or the General Council. Submissions from affiliate groups, guidance counsellors in education, etc., etc., also inform the claim. The claim is also informed by other issues brought by members through their representatives, as well as developments in the local industrial scene or regional and international factors which could impact membership positively. Before a claim is tendered to the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, a questionnaire is dispatched to all schools in which the Association has members. The work of the Committee is coordinated by the Deputy Secretary General with responsibility for Member Services and Industrial Relations but may include people co-opted specifically for their expertise. There is a component of the Committee called a ‘technical” team which prepares a document which justifies the claim. The negotiating team submits regular updates to the membership. The Committee does not have the power to accept or reject any offer. This is the reserve of Conference, whether Annual or Special, after membership has been fully appraised of the content of the offer. (please use as blurb) The President signs the final Heads of Agreement once the offer has been accepted by votes of delegates. MILESTONES IN NEGOTIATIONS It is important to indicate that the JTA won bargaining rights for teachers only in 1966, two years after its consolidation. 1966 was the year in which the first heads of agreement were signed. It is important to point out also that this negotiation agreement followed the first Education Act (1965) with which the JTA was heavily involved. Some important agreements The Salaries and Conditions of Service Committee Members vote on Government’s Compensation Review in 2024. Teachers read details of the salary offer presented to them at a delegates meeting at Wolmer’s High School for Boys. PLEASE SEE SALARIES, 23
NAME OF FEATURE | THE GLEANER | SUNDAY, JUNE 9, 2024 12 24 Shift Allowance was made pensionable 25 Trained teachers with UWI Certificate in Education were classified as Trained Teacher (Diploma) 26 Boarding institutions were eligible for at least one Vice-Principal 27 Pre-retirement leave instituted and teachers on ‘no pay leave’excluded from the 10% quota. 28 In 1986 there was the reopening of small schools after protest by JTA 29 1987 Guidance Counsellors, Work Experience teachers and lecturers who supervise teaching practice were to be paid Commuted Transport Allowance 30 In 1988 The Association in partnership with the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (Education Committee) initiated the celebration of Teachers’ Day, Wednesday of Education Week 31 In 1989, a policy was implemented whereby teachers in clear vacancies for over one year and Principals for more than three (3) years were automatically granted permanent appointments after a two-year period. 32 In 1990 the intensive membership education programme “Study Circle” was introduced, sponsored with the kind assistance of the Swedish Teachers’ Union, Lararforbundet 33 1991 Remuneration for POSR increased to 10%, 15% and 20% of Diploma scale 34 The National Council on Education (NCE) was established at the instigation of the Association. 35 In 1994 the Remote/Special Allowance increased from three to four (3-4) increments 36 Teachers who are employed part-time to teach Sixth Form were to be paid at tertiary rates. Two years’ study leave with pay could be granted to teachers who have served continuously for 10 years without taking Study Leave. 37 The Golden Torch Award (honouring teachers for 35 years or more service) was instituted and JTA celebrated 100 years of teacher trade unionism in Jamaica 38 1995 registered the Second Reclassification of the teaching service. There was also the introduction of Protective Clothing Allowance for teachers in Infant Schools and Infant Departments that exceeded 200 students - 4 increments Secondary 1 Principal’s scale; less than 200 students - 3 increments; Vice Principals – 2 increments in the Vice-Principal Secondary scale 39 In 1996 Annual Professional Development Day (now named in honour of Past President Helen Stills), was instituted 40 The Association became a member of the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU) 41 There was the renewal of membership in the Caribbean of Union Teachers (CUT) and the Association represented teachers at the Inaugural Conference of Education International (EI) in Harare 42 In 1997 the Transportation Allowance paid to senior teachers with POSR 1, 2 and 3 was instituted. 43 Lecturers in Community Colleges who supervise students on work experience assignments were to be paid a Commuted Travelling Allowance 44 At the instigation of the Association, the Institute of Education, extended the B.A. in Education to teachers by distance and in 1998 a Loan facility for in-service teachers pursuing offshore university programmes began with an initial fund of $2 million from the HEART/NTA 45 1999 Motor car loans, revised to $320,000 for new cars and $200,000 for used cars, became available 46 JTA was elected to host the Secretariat of CUT 47 The Association began protest action against the Ministry of Education, to stop the instituting of a policy of a rigid teacher/pupil ratio in schools which saw the commencement of a teacher separation exercise. Over 300 teachers, mainly from the secondary sector, were slated to lose their jobs in the school year. 48 In 2001 a Contingent of students participated in t the Biennial CUT Games in Martinique 49 The Association enlisted the assistance of a law firm to come to the aid of eight teachers who were dismissed in violation of the Code of Regulations, 1980. In July, the Supreme Court affirmed the stance of the Ministry of Education, prompting the Association to opt for an appeal. Subsequently, in December, the decision of the Appellate Court vindicated the Association, resulting in the reinstatement of the separated teachers with all their previous rights and privileges intact. 50 The 2000/2002 Heads of Agreement was important for two main reasons, viz (i) it restored the mode of calculation of the remote (special) allowance payable to teachers who qualify (ii) it re-acknowledged the issue of parity at the tertiary level (as per 1973) and the salaries of all teaching/administrative posts were to be adjusted according to a new classification of tertiary level institutions (non-university) 51 2002 Serious negotiations were commenced with the Ministries of Education, Youth and Culture and Finance and Planning regarding two unsettled items of the 2000/2002 claims. These were: i) Post-Graduate Allowance of 15% and 20% of graduate-trained scale to be paid respectively to teachers with post-graduate qualification where such qualification does not change their scale; ii) the creation of a career path (i.e. Non administrative promotional opportunity) for lecturers in tertiary level institutions. 52 Parenting Seminars hosted by the Association started, these were aimed at encouraging good parenting 53 2003 Association began a series of investment seminars particularly geared toward teachers 54 2004 Association successfully negotiated the refund of 50% of tuition fees to teachers who undertake successful courses of study without the benefit of leave. 55 2005 Association successfully completed negotiation with the Government for the establishment of a Professional Development Fund. This Fund provided teachers with loans to undertake studies at concessionary rates of interest. 56 2006 Principals of Community Colleges now qualify for a Shift Allowance in line with their counterparts in Teacher Education Institutions. 57 There was also the Inaugural Prime Minister’s Medal of Appreciation Award for Service to Education. 58 A new allowance — Book, Software and Technology to all the 29 categories of teachers was introduced. 59 In 2007 there was an agreement in principle to conduct a study to adjust the salaries of teachers to 80% of equivalent positions in the private sector 60 2008 saw the Third Reclassification of the teaching service: – salaries of all 29 categories adjusted to 80% of market; - a special allowance paid to some categories; – Protective Clothing Allowance extended to teachers of all Primary grades; – Teachers who perform duties during national, special events to be paid a Special Duty Allowance; – Remote/Inducement Allowance now increased to six (6) increments in the relevant scales; – Teachers holding Masters and doctoral degrees now qualify for 4 and 6 increments in the Trained Graduate scale as a Qualification Allowance. We acknowledge the evolving landscape of education and the challenges that lie ahead. From technological advancements to shifting demographics, our profession is constantly evolving, and as such, it is imperative that we adapt and innovate to remain relevant in an ever-changing world. As we celebrate 60 years of excellence, resilience, and service to the teaching profession; we also recognize the invaluable support of our partners, stakeholders, and supporters who have stood by us throughout the years. Together, let us chart a course for the future that honours our past and empowers the next generation of educators and learners. Happy 60th Anniversary to the Jamaica Teachers’ Association! Sandra Hunter is Chairman of the JTA Membership Committee JTA 60TH ANNIVERSARY FEATURE Kerrina Leslie, Manager Jamaica Publishing House Ltd, presents the Golden Torch Award 2023 to Carmen Dillon of Clarendon for 41 years of service to education.
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NAME OF FEATURE | THE GLEANER | SUNDAY, JUNE 9, 2024 14 By Melissa Beckford-Simpson & LaSonja Harrison BIRTH AND DEVELOPMENT TRADE UNIONISM in Jamaica and in the Caribbean in general predates independence. In fact, Caribbean scholars have long documented the unbroken connection between the involvement of the average West Indian in the establishment of a politics of our own, and unionism. Indeed, one could argue that the events of 1865 at Morant Bay were tantamount to unionism. It is no coincidence, then, that the earliest record of a trade union in Jamaica is that of the Jamaica Union of Teachers in 1894, not so long after Morant Bay. The era surrounding the riots of the 1930s across the Caribbean propelled the growth of unions representing workers of every class and description of work, not the least of which included varying categories of educators in Jamaica. Success for teacher unionism seemed to be far more plausible with unity, and in 1964 the powerful JamaicaTeachers’Association (JTA) was born out of the merger of five unions. Today, the JTA boasts a membership of over 20,000 teachers, making it the largest of its kind in the Caribbean and a formidable force for both teacher representation and professional development. On April 3, 1964, D.C. Gascoigne, the last President of the JUT made way for the first president of the Jamaica Teachers’Association, Wesley A. Powell. This move, single-handedly, paved the way for the Jamaica Teachers’ Association to become one of the most democratically functioning organisations in the Caribbean today. All decisions are determined by its membership owing to the fact that its highest decision-making body is the Annual Conference comprising delegates from the 78 District Associations spread across the country’s 14 parishes; hence 14 Parish Associations. Outside of the Annual Conference is the General Council, the JTA’s second highest decision-making body, followed by the Central Executive which comprises Parish Presidents, Chairmen of the Association’s 20 standing committees, and one ad hoc committee; trustees and paid representatives from the Secretariat. The political arm, captained by the Presidential core – PresidentElect, President and Immediate Past President, is ably supported by the Secretariat led by the Secretary General and those he supervises. The current three-tiered system is represented in the personages of President Leighton Johnson; President-Elect, Mark Smith; and Immediate Past President, LaSonja Harrison. The current Secretary General Dr Mark Nicely stands on the shoulders and legacy of the seven others who preceded him. The responsibility of the administrative arm of the Association is to execute the dayto-day business of the teachers. The membership of the Association must understand and exercise the authority granted to them through the Memorandum and Articles of Association to ensure that the political arm retains its function. The crafters in their wisdom ensured that while the arm that elects the President changes annually, final authority on fundamental matters remains firmly in the hands of the membership. It is imperative that the Union does not at any point lose sight of either the letter or the intent of the structure. The membership must continue to be the decision-makers; and the leaders, the servants. PROGRAMMES AND ACTIVITIES The Union takes very seriously the Professional Development of its members hence there is a full slate of annual activities on the calendar. Programmes such as Education Conference, Helen Stills Professional Development Day, Investment and Retirement Seminars, Pre-service Forum as well as Contact Teacher Training are but a few held annually. Encouragement, they say, sweetens labour and so to honour those who serve the profession and the Association at varying levels, the following awards are conferred on the most deserving, usually selected through a rigorous process – Golden Torch Award; Roll of Honour Award; WBC Hawthorne Award; RC Tavares Award, Edith Dalton James Award; President’s Award; Elorine Walker Award; Fay E. Saunders Award. PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS • Education International in 1993 and the JTA remains a member. The Union’s Fay Saunders served as VicePresident and hosted the General assembly of this body in 1971 and Past President Nadine Molloy is a current Board member. • A fruitful partnership was forged with the Jamaica Diaspora Taskforce Action Network 2013-2014 which has convened eight (8) summits to date. • The Excellence in Stem Experiential Education (EXSEED) programme in partnership with Loma Linda University remains a hallmark achievement of the Association. • Regionally, the Jamaica Teachers’ Association maintains a strong bond with its Caribbean neighbours The development, achievements and trajectory of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association at 60 THE STATE OF THE UNION: JTA 60TH ANNIVERSARY FEATURE From left Secretary General Dr Mark Nicely; President Leighton Johnson; President Elect Mark Smith, and Immediate Past President LaSonja Harrison. Melissa Beckford-Simpson
NAME OF FEATURE | THE GLEANER | SUNDAY, JUNE 9, 2024 15 through its involvement with the Caribbean Union of Teachers. The current President of the Caribbean Union of Teachers, Dr. Garth Anderson is a Past President of the JTA. TEACHER REPRESENTATION: THE CORE OF OUR EFFORTS Sparing no penny, the best defence has been retained to represent our members’ interests. One of the most famous and controversial is the Byfield, Johnson and German cases of the 1960s. One case of most recent memory was the agitation of the Association that resulted in the rescinding of the then Ministry of Education Youth and Culture’s action to separate more than three hundred (300) teachers from their jobs in 2000. Swiftly following that success was the reinstatement of eight (8) teachers whose cases were advanced to the Appellate Court by the Association resulting in the Supreme Court’s decision being overturned in December 2001. The JTA boasts a success rate of approximately eighty-five 85% in terms of the reinstatement of teachers to their jobs. The Association however, has come under heavy criticism over the years for what some may call its defence of ‘waywardness’, those who to the eye of many are in breach of the Code of Regulations of 1980, the Child Care and Protection Act, or any other relevant regulation. The union must continue to communicate the extent to which it utilises the resources within its power to teach and empower its members to maintain high standards of professionalism through the various programmes carried out under its professional arm. In its 60 years of existence, the Union has used mainly diplomatic means to achieve its objectives. However, the Union has had to resort to withdrawing its services, when all else failed: June 1966, April 1978, April 1983, May 1985, and 2017 being the most recent. At the 17th Annual Conference of the JTA, August 1981 a resolution was tabled and passed which called for the establishment of a National Education Council, a body that remains relevant for the appointment of school boards and to generally ensure that the Code of Regulations (1980) is upheld. THE STATE OF THE UNION AT 60 The Jamaica Teaching Council Bill represents a major paradigm shift and is essentially an instrument of reform in the teaching profession in Jamaica. In 2012, the JTA succeeded in its representation of teachers as it was able to secure a review of the draft legislation on the Jamaica Teaching Council. The JTA argued, amongst other things, that the composition of the Commission was not representative of the teaching profession that it sought to regulate and this would place the teacher at a disadvantage. The onus is on all members of the Association to remain vigilant as the future of the profession will be determined by the results of our advocacy in this matter. The Jamaica Teachers’ Association is, first and foremost, a trade union and it must remain alert to the dangers of government domination. In addition, the union will only successfully defend the rights of its members if it remains free of government control to function most soundly and effectively as a basic bulwark of a free society. As the union is at the zeitgeist of 60 years, we cannot march forward without a clinical evaluation and accompanying acknowledgement of our challenges. We now operate within a context that is different from our forebears. How do we maintain the delicate balance of retaining the vision and values of those who have gone before us while embracing the 21st century outlook, approaches and nuances that are now an important part of our craft? How do we demonstrate our relevance against the onslaught of legislation, policy directives, perceptions of our operations and the general atmosphere of wariness that seems to be intensifying amongst the very teaching fraternity? ‘Oh, may all who come behind us find us faithful’. Being mindful of every challenge it is necessary that we press on, enlivening the words of Errol Miller at the Association’s 50th “Education is about mobilising a people to conserve the essence of their civilisation while responding to dynamic imperatives of the present to construct the future that promises the greatest possibility of their survival and even prosperity” . Melissa Beckford-Simpson is a member of the General Council of the JTA and a member of the 60th Anniversary Publication Subcommittee. LaSonja Harrison is Immediate Past President of the JTA. JTA 60TH ANNIVERSARY FEATURE The new JUT Memorial Hall which was formally opened yesterday (August 10, 1949) on upper Church Street. GLEANER PHOTO
NAME OF FEATURE | THE GLEANER | SUNDAY, JUNE 9, 2024 16 By the Board of Trustees THE ROLE of the Trustees is clearly set out in the Jamaica Teachers’ Association’s MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION and such bylaws as may be approved by the General Council and ratified by the Annual Conference. The main predecessor organisation, the Jamaica Union of Teachers, modelled itself on the National Union of Teachers of the United Kingdom, to which it was affiliated in 1906. The role of the Trustees (three at that time) was a rather demanding one as the fledgling Union sought to establish its financial viability. The Board of Trustees of the old Union oversaw all aspects of the financial affairs of the JUT and functioned as its finance committee. Indeed, the Board of Trustees was the de facto finance committee. It is to the Board of Trustees that the successor Association, the Jamaica Teachers’ Association, owes its current stable financial base, its rather large real estate portfolio and other investments. As early as the 1895 Annual Conference, held between April 17 and 19, fees were set at the rate of Six Shillings (6 S) per annum, payable quarterly. A Reserve Fund was also established and a specific percentage was set aside from said fees. The early Trustees also supervised the Union’s Reserve Funds, and later, supervised the acquisition of the Union’s first property at 97 Church Street. Later, in order to develop thrift among teachers, the Trustees oversaw the creation of the Teachers’ Mutual Aid Society Limited (TMAS). This was the first foray by the Union into such a financial enterprise. The TMAS was given the assent of the Union on June 14, 1905, with its constitution duly signed by the following: J.G. Peat, Board School, T.B. Stephenson, Calabar School, A.L. Walcott, Central Branch School, L.A. King, Mico College, C.E. Skyers, Mico College, A.L. Neita, Mico College School, T.A. Aitman, Wesley School, A.E. Thompson, Secretary. The Constitution spoke eloquently of the Society’s purpose: “Whereas it is desirable to establish the principles of co-operation among the Elementary School Teachers of Jamaica for raising the status and ameliorating the condition of its Members, this Society is established. (a) “To encourage and promote the habits of thrift, self-help and self-reliance among its members.” (b) “To acquire and secure the safe and profitable investment of capital.” (c) “To foster the continuous and individual interests of its members in the Teaching Profession and in the Educational affairs of the island.” (d) “To carry on any industry, business or trade specified in, or authorized by, the rules including dealings in any description of land; and generally, to effect such reforms as are desirable and necessary to the advancement of its members and the profession.” “In pursuance of which the above are made fundamental principles on which the Teachers’ Mutual Aid Society, Limited under the auspices of the“Jamaica Union ofTeachers”is established; and by which all transactions thereof should be guided on behalf of the members of the said Society.” RAISING FUNDS The TMAS was governed by a Committee of Management consisting of ten persons, including the THREE trustees of the Union. The TMAS paid an annual bonus to shareholders, enabling themselves through individual and collective action 10 percent as well as a triennial bonus. The TMAS predated the Jamaica Civil Service Mutual Thrift Society, established in the aftermath of the labour upheavals of the 1930s, and the Father John Peter Sullivan’s Sodality Credit Union, the first credit union in Jamaica. Indeed, the Trustees of the JUT were, by creating the TMAS, already applying the very principles employed by our African Ancestors to enable the teachers to achieve financial advancement in a post-emancipation economy that did not extend credit to the Black working and peasant class. The TMAS morphed into the Jamaica Teachers’ Co-Operative Credit Union in 1959, and then into the JTA Co-Operative Credit Union by resolution in 1978. Having regard to the objects of the TMAS as outlined in the Constitution of 1905, the JUT under the guidance of its Trustees, set about the realisation of Article (d). From the acquisition of its seed property at 97 Church Street, through the island wide mobilisation of teachers to raise funds by various means. The acquisition was spearheaded by A.A. Robinson, President, 1934 assisted by Trustees E. L. Salmon and W.A. Dillon and greatly assisted by a Ways and Means Committee, created at Annual Conference 1934. The Committee comprised Miss Mae Wright, Treasurer; Miss D. McPherson, Miss I.I. Thompson, Mrs. Mary L. Knibb, Miss Amy B. Bailey, (Secretary), and Miss May Keane. ONE THOUSAND POUNDS LOAN The Trustees negotiated a loan of one thousand pounds Sterling to secure the property, which was to be repaid by funds raised by the Committee. In November 1934, the Committee reported only 22 pounds and 8 shillings. This was deposited in the Union’s account at the Bank of Nova Scotia, Kings Street. To fund the project the Executive recommended: 1. “For 1935, the buildings remain as they are – as a revenue-earning project. At the end of which period, the matter shall be reopened for further consideration.” 2. Continuation for Appeals for personal donations from J.U.T. Members 3. Drives in schools. 4. Fairs in suitable areas. 5. Elocution contests in Kingston. 6. Appeal from the NUT, and other bodies, and citizens who are not members. 7. Sacred concerts. 8. Grant from the RESERVE FUND, if necessary. The role of trustees in the proprietary development of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association COMMEMORATING 130 YEARS OF TEACHER TRADE UNIONISM PLEASE SEE TRUSTEES, 47 JTA 60TH ANNIVERSARY FEATURE JUT Home old house
NAME OF FEATURE | THE GLEANER | SUNDAY, JUNE 9, 2024 17 JTA 60TH ANNIVERSARY FEATURE PRESIDENTELECT CANDIDATES Seven members of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association are vying to become the next President-Elect of the Association, to take office as President in 2025. Here seven of the eight candidates are seen at the Education Conference, in Trelawny. They are, from left: Jermaine Williams, Terrian Okeef Saunders, Georgia Green, Dorian Allen Rainford, Eaton McNamee, and Mark Malabver. Inset shows Suzette Baker Tulloch.
NAME OF FEATURE | THE GLEANER | SUNDAY, JUNE 9, 2024 18 JTA 60TH ANNIVERSARY FEATURE By Dr Winsome Gordon THIS IS the reflection seen through the eyes of a teenager in the 1960s and analysed by a mature woman in 2024. It is not an academic paper. On April 2, 1964, the Jamaica Teachers’ Association was launched in an inaugural conference that was held in the Excelsior School Hall, Kingston. Wesley Powell, principal of Excelsior High School and one of the association’s founding fathers, was already a name among educators. As a young teacher, I was happy that the profession of my choice had an association that was inclusive and not only a union. While the Jamaica Union of Teachers existed, the general ethos of the day was that unions were for the working class and not for teachers. An association was more palatable to the teachers than a union. Hence, the JTA was born and teachers would support its existence through the contribution of dues. Its first Secretary General Ben Hawthorne was instrumental in building capital for the JTA. He was respected and admired across the teaching profession. When Government took the decision that all persons in public offices would become civil servants, the JTA came out strongly against teachers becoming civil servants. Wesley Powell led the charge against the Government’s decision. He wore the symbolic pink bath towel on his shoulders and chanted, “We will not be civil servants.”Well, if Wesley Powell said that we would not be civil servants, then we would not be civil servants. At the time, I was not sure why. I later discovered that the Government was able to transfer civil servants overnight to any part of Jamaica. I also learnt that the power of transfer was used as a weapon against anyone who fell out of grace. Wesley Powell would steer the profession from any such manipulation. In the early years JTA was, not surprisingly, politically aligned to the People’s National Party. The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) was seen as the party for common labourers. The JTA did appear to harass the ministers of education when the JLP led the Government. I recall Fay Saunders, secretary general of JTA, making Dr Mavis Gilmour, minister of education, extremely uncomfortableconcerningsalaryincreases for which the Ministry of Finance was responsible. CANTANKEROUS JTA The attitude changed by the turn of the century, and there appeared to be a better balance in respect of the political parties. The dialogue between JTA and the Government was now driven by the perceived challenges of the profession rather than the party in power, a welcome approach by the teaching profession. There were thousands of teachers who did not care to align themselves with any seemingly cantankerous behaviour that was sometimes displayed by the JTA. We had high hope for increased salaries. My salary at the time was just over $24 monthly. This increased to $50 per month when I completed teachers’ college education. However, my rental was $10 per month, house lots were being sold for between $4,000 and $8,000, and a new car cost less than $1,000. Less than 50 per cent of the teachers were trained, and ambitious teachers wanted to go to university. Many teachers wanted to qualify themselves but were unable to do so on the salary. Hence, teachers welcomed the 1966 negotiations that resulted in study leave with six months full pay and six months halfpay. JTA also secured an annual sum of money from the national Budget for professional development. In later years, JTA negotiated a generous leave package for teachers and secured financial support for teachers who engaged in studies and did not take leave. The Code of Ethics developed by JTA was strongly enforced in the early years. Nonetheless, the constitution of the JTA required that all teachers be defended, good and bad alike. The relationship with the Government depended largely on the character of the president. Sometimes the relationship was rocky for the entire presidential year, at other times the president maintained good cooperation with the Government, recognising the strategic role of the Government in maintaining the power of the JTA. The JTA has always been highly respected by the Government and was invited to join and contribute to all efforts to bring about change in the education sector. Of course, the Government would always assume its ultimate responsibility, which is the well-being of the child and advancement of a sustainable society. The ‘60s into the ‘70s was a period of building the JTA to be a strong organisation that would withstand all kinds of challenges. JTA needed property. Funds had to be raised, and so lifetime membership was offered to members for $10. My husband, who was a JTA disciple, bought lifetime memberships for both of us. The money thus collected was used to buy the Ben Hawthorne building. The Housing Co-operative of the JTA provided shelter for many teachers. It negotiated with new housing schemes to ensure affordable houses for teachers and provided payment plans. It was a good idea, but it operated with too much heart and the business side weakened to the point of closure. The publishing house of the JTA continues to give opportunities to teachers to publish their works with reasonable support. The credit union supported teachers, and is in existence to this day. The ready, small credits allowed for small comforts; and sometimes an initial backup for big ventures. The JTA stood up to the vicissitudes that face people-based organisations. It has been rocked by scandal, competition and sometimes lethargy. But, JTA was built on a solid foundation and can withstand challenges. It witnessed the rise and fall of the National Union of Democratic Teachers and secured its place as the body that represents the largest number of teachers in Jamaica. In the‘80s, when hardships hit the economy, JTA reasoned with the Government for teachers to maintain their jobs and for no salary increases during the period. JTA called a few teacher strikes, bringing governments to the bargaining table. However, the organisation also learnt that if strikes were too drawn out, the parents would rise up against them. Still, teacher strikes remain a threat depending on demand, and the response of the Government. SECRETARIES GENERAL The idea for JTA fees to be deducted by the Ministry of Education from salary gave impetus to the JTA. It allowed for better planning, as the JTA was assured a minimum level of financing. Over the years, the JTA has tried to maintain a good balance between unionism and professionalism. Its negotiation with the Government always included a dimension of professional advancement beyond salaries. Thus, the introduction of the ‘Master Teacher’ designation in 1998, now institutionalised by the Government, is a major step in the career path of a teacher. The JTA boasts secretaries general who were able to maintain a good balance between unionism and professionalism, and between the JTA and the Government. Among them Dr Adolph Cameron stood tall. He was a no-nonsense person, and unruly teachers did not have his support. Fay Saunders, the only female secretary general, locked horns with the Government and served in a turbulent period. One could understand, as it was the time when teachers’salaries were being increased to a liveable wage in a changing economy. Other secretaries general carried out their tasks as expected. The teachers looked forward to the ceremonies of JTA and its awards. They would wonderfully outfit themselves for the occasions and arrive at the events feeling good about themselves. Today, 60 years later, JTA is an institution with the teaching profession. It shared, and continues to share, in the evolution of the Jamaica Teaching Council as its new companion, and a body that has the potential tolaunchandholdtheprofessiononaplain with all other professions. The JTA was clear that it would protect the rights of its membership should there be any indication that such rights would be undermined. Now, in the fourth and fifth Industrial Revolution, the teaching profession is clearly being challenged. What are the implications of microchips in the brains? Collaboration for the advancement of the profession safely into the new era is the emerging direction for the JTA. As such, it will navigate the digital waters and will remain relevant for a future generation of teachers. Dr Winsome Gordon is chief executive officer of the Jamaica Teaching Council. She wrote this, at the request of the JTA, in her capacity as an early member. REFLECTIONS ON THE JTA Dr Winsome Gordon Dr Mavis Gilmour, former minister of education Fay Saunders, former secretary general of the JTA From birth to maturity
NAME OF FEATURE | THE GLEANER | SUNDAY, JUNE 9, 2024 19 JTA 60TH ANNIVERSARY FEATURE
NAME OF FEATURE | THE GLEANER | SUNDAY, JUNE 9, 2024 21 JTA 60TH ANNIVERSARY FEATURE THE COUNTRY awaits the decision of the Joint Select Committee of Parliament on the Jamaica Teaching Council Bill. The bill seeks to establish a governing body for the teaching profession and to institute a regime for the licensing and registration of all government-paid teachers. Some see the proposed Jamaica Teaching Council (JTC) and the legislative moves to establish it as perhaps the most contentious issue to have emerged in the teaching profession, at least in the modern era. It is even argued that the JTC, as originally fashioned or conceived, poses the greatest threat to teaching and teachers and consequently, to education. The discussions surrounding the JTC as the institution to regulate the teaching profession have been going on for nearly 20 years. In recent years, it has made progress towards becoming law, and in 2022 the JTC Bill, was laid in Parliament. Following submissions by various stakeholders, including the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA), to the Joint Select Committee of Parliament, the wait is on for the report to be taken back to Parliament. The JTC and the legislative action to make it become law is one of the issues that has brought out the greatest degree of advocacy in the history of the JTA. Education and advocacy have gone from discussions within the organs of the JTA through to pushback on public media, to presentations in the Parliament. The efforts to do right by teachers in the face of ugly or even dangerous proposals of the JTC even led to a street protest when the leadership of the JTA marched on the Ministry of Education at Heroes Circle, Kingston. There have been several changes over the period when the JTC was proposed and started to take shape to, among other things, license teachers. Clayton Hall was president-elect of the JTA in 2013 amid more talk of the need for the JTC to come into force. Then, and later, as JTA president, and after that as immediate past president, he had to make it his duty to know about what was being proposed. Later still, when he returned to the JTA in administration as a regional officer, his role in the Member Services Unit continued, with a focus on the JTC proposal. Now, the JTC falls directly under his portfolio as deputy secretary general for Member Services. Looking back over the last decade at least, Mr Hall said there were some key issues or concepts that were anathema to the JTA, posed a danger to the teaching profession, and, therefore, the union fought back against them. 1. THE COMPOSITION OF THE JTC BOARD The JTA argued that no entity or group purporting to be responsible for making a profession more professional should have as its majority non-professionals of that group. In other words, the Jamaica Teaching Council should not be majority populated by non-teachers. “At one stage, even the commissioner of corrections had a seat on the Teaching Council. We found that objectionable,” said Mr Hall. 2. THE GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES In the early stages, the bill outlined three separate tracks for dealing with grievances: a) the school board; b) the Ministry of Education; and c) The Teaching Council. Clause 51 instructs the Teaching Council, upon receiving a complaint, to refer the complaint to the education ministry or school board for an investigation or to conduct its own enquiry. According to Mr Hall, it was unacceptable to the JTA that it was proposed that if a teacher were to be tried for an alleged infraction or disciplinary breach by the ministry or the school board, the matter would have to be reported to the JTC, which could then decide if it would undertake a separate trial. “If you were tried by either the board or the ministry, that would have to be reported to the Council, who could choose to try you again,” Mr Hall said. 3. THE FINANCING OF THE JTC It had been proposed that the JTC would be financially self-sufficient and would be required to earn its keep from fees and fines levied against the teacher. Mr. Hall said: “In a situation where the [licence] fees and fines would be set by the Council, we thought that would become a new financial burden, a new tax on the teacher.”To illustrate, he said there could be a situation where there was a hole in the budget of the JTC, and it might decide to plug that hole by simply increasing the licensing fee for that year. Conscious that the JTC would need funds for its activities, the JTA proposed what it considered a reasonable compromise - a fixed set rate for licences based on a percentage of the teacher’s salary. That would prevent the THE TROUBLESOME JAMAICA TEACHING COUNCIL PLEASE SEE COUNCIL, 27
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