JTC: Teaching Bill Met with Opposition

Some stakeholders have been expressing opposition to proposed changes to the Teaching Bill now before a Joint Select Committee of Parliament. The changes include sanctions for unlicensed or unregistered teachers and tutors and new requirements for approval from the teaching council for persons opting to home school.

Strong objections are being raised against a bill tabled in parliament which allows the Jamaica Teaching Council (JTC) to sanction teachers with up to five hundred thousand dollars in fines or jail time if they practice without being licensed or registered by the council.

Since being tabled, the bill has been met with significant scrutiny, the newest of which took place in last week’s Joint Select Committee where Dean of the Teachers’ Colleges Association Dr. Garth Anderson said he worries the bill would not have the desired effect.

He says the stringent provisions will deviate from the bill’s aim, which is to professionalize pedagogy. The provisions require public and private teachers, private tutors, and even persons who teach in-home education to be licensed and registered. Subsequently, these persons would need to meet the stipulated standards, which Legal Counsel Julian Mowatt argues is difficult for many. More details in the report:

Reporter: Velonique Bowen.