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In a bid to address the critical shortage of teachers and improve the state of education in the country, the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) launched the Go Public! Fund Education campaign. The initiative aims to tackle the teacher shortage by enhancing educational infrastructure and teacher remuneration.

Jamaica's education system: A call to action

Jamaica is facing a significant challenge in its education sector, with a shortage of teachers exacerbated by migration to countries like the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The launch of the Go Public! Fund Education campaign marks a pivotal moment in addressing these issues. This global campaign, spearheaded by Education International (EI), seeks to hold governments accountable and push for policies that attract and retain teachers.

The grim reality of teacher shortages

During the launch event on March 21st, JTA President Mark Smith highlighted the dire situation, citing a global teacher shortage of 44 million by the end of the decade, as reported by UNESCO. Jamaica has experienced a teacher brain drain, as more than 700 teachers left to the United States and 500 to the United Kingdom in the past year. Despite having ten teacher training institutions, the country struggles to train enough teachers to meet the demand.

“We must be careful not to create a model of education where teachers spend 1-2 years and then leave. This undermines the quality of education we can provide for our children. A country that does not value its teachers does not value its future because the children are the future,” he added.

Investing in education: A strategic imperative

Smith went on to emphasize the need for strategic investments in education, including teacher remuneration, infrastructure, and access to quality education for all children. He called on the Jamaican government and political leaders to prioritize education in their plans, especially as the country approaches a general election.

Global solidarity and support

The launch event featured international partners from the United Kingdom, United States, and Canada, who shared their perspectives on the teacher shortage and expressed solidarity with Jamaica. Representatives of the National Education Union of the UK, the National Education Association of the US, and the Canadian Teachers Federation highlighted the need for global cooperation to address the global teacher shortage noting it becomes more complex when countries like Jamaica lose so many teachers to the UK and North America.

A blueprint for change

Go Public! campaign manager Angelo Gavrielatos presented the United Nations recommendations on the teaching profession, which provide a framework for attracting and retaining teachers. They recommend competitive salaries, manageable workloads, and job security as key factors in addressing the teacher shortage.

Teachers in their own words

During the launch, several JTA leaders expressed their satisfaction to join the global campaign.

For JTA General Secretary Mark Nicely, “the greatest benefit of the Go Public! Fund Education campaign lies in its potential to unite educators and education workers worldwide around mobilizing a global movement that lobbies governments to prioritize education, resulting in advancing the welfare and sustainability of humanity.”

JTA International Relations Committee Member, Joan Blackwood-Simpson, noted that “the Go Public! Fund Education campaign is a great initiative for us as educators. It will help to amplify the calls that have been made by educators for decades. The lack of funding for education has fallen on deaf ears for many years. This call to action will galvanize the support of the wider membership via a more active membership engagement.”

According to the Chairman of the JTA Professional Advancement and Teacher Welfare Committee, Anniana Jones, “the Go Public! Fund Education campaign is a game changer for Jamaican teachers, especially those of us in struggling schools. More funding means better salaries, safer classrooms, proper resources and real support for teachers to do their job well. We must stand together, raise our voices and demand that our government invest in education - because when teachers win, students win, and Jamaica wins!”

JTA National Secondary Committee Chair Rum Lewis echoed colleagues, saying that “the Go Public! Fund Education campaign and the UN recommendations can bring attention to the plight of Jamaican teachers and support the JTA’s advocacy efforts. This campaign will help the JTA to devise strategies to improve the salaries and conditions of Jamaican teachers. Additionally, it will curb the attrition of the Jamaican teachers.”

The future of Jamaica’s education system: Not leaving it to chance

In an op-ed published in Jamaica’s newspaper The Gleaner, dated March 24th, 2025, and titled “Future of education can’t be left to chance”, Garth Anderson, Dean of the Teachers’ Colleges of Jamaica, past President of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA), and current President of the Caribbean Union of Teachers (CUT), wrote: “Jamaica stands at a pivotal moment as it engages in the annual Budget Debate, while anticipating the upcoming general election. This period presents an opportunity for policymakers and citizens alike to scrutinize the Government’s plans for funding essential services, particularly education. It is imperative to assess whether adequate resources are being allocated to education as a fundamental public good and a driver of national development.”

He concluded that “the future of Jamaica’s education system cannot be left to chance. It demands collective action. Policymakers must be held accountable for their commitments to education funding, and citizens – parents, teachers, students, and community leaders – must actively participate in advocacy efforts.”

Looking ahead: a vision for the future

As Jamaica embarks on the Go Public! Fund Education campaign, the focus remains on creating a sustainable and high-quality education system. The campaign aims to ensure that every child has access to qualified, well-supported teachers and the necessary resources to succeed. The Jamaica Teachers Association is ready to continue the struggle to transform its education sector and secure a brighter future for Jamaica.