1. Introduction
I wish to extend a special welcome to this the first meeting of the Central
Executive for the new calendar year. Also to wish all of us a very successful
year in terms of our dreams and aspirations for ourselves, our families and
our profession.
At the last meeting of
General Council, we noted with regret the death of Past President Mr. Hugh
Dawes and gave thanks for his contribution to the JTA, profession, community
and country.
Less than two weeks after,
we lost another of our Past Presidents - Mr. Desmond Gascoigne. Mr. Gascoigne
was one of the founding fathers of the JTA and the JTA Co-operative Credit
Union. He was a true teacher leader and spent his life building both organizations
to ensure that the economic and professional welfare of teachers were addressed.
The JTA Co-operative Credit Union, which he helped to build, is among the
most successful Credit Unions in Jamaica and the Caribbean. May his soul rest
in peace.
2. Salary Negotiations
2.1 Negotiations
for the 2002 - 2004 Contract Period
At the time of writing, the Association had not received the response on
items in the Claim as promised by the Minister of Finance and Planning,
Honourable Omar Davis, at a meeting held on January 17, 2003. The offer
from Government is as outlined in the document that has been laid on the
table.
The Chairman of the
Salaries and Conditions of Service Committee will take the meeting through
the document.
The Action Committee,
at its meeting held on January 21, 2003, decided that this meeting of Central
Executive should determine the future course of action depending on the
response from the Ministry of Finance and Planning.
Colleagues, the leadership
of the Association has made every effort to have the discussions and consultations
to arrive at a reasonable settlement. This has been done in the face of
the growing unrest among our members. I believe that the Ministry of Finance
has not dealt with this matter with much sense of urgency. This meeting
has to determine the appropriate course of action to bring to the attention
of Government the need for the concerns of teachers to be dealt with with
the urgency they deserve.
2.2 Realignment of
Teaching Posts with Posts in the Rest of the Public Service
The tripartite Monitoring Committee set-up to co-ordinate the exercise has
had two meetings. Price waterhouse Coopers has been contracted to do the
technical work. The Terms of Reference for the exercise will be in four
phases, namely Background and Familiarization, Data Collection, Data Analysis
and Report Preparation. The work is expected to be completed by March of
this year.
Copies of the Terms
of Reference have been laid on the table.
2.3 HEART Negotiations
The majority of the Instructors in the HEART institutions voted in December
2002 to accept the final offer on salaries and benefits from the Trust.
The payments were also made in December.
The outstanding item
is the reclassification exercise which is expected to be completed by March
2003. Adjustments in salaries will be retroactive to January 2003.
3. Transport Allowance
Paid to Teachers with PSOR
The Government has decided to put on hold the decision to tax the above allowance
effective January 2003. However, the deduction of the tax was made this month
but will be refunded in February and no further deduction until further instructions
are given by the Taxpayer Assessment Department of the Ministry of Finance
and Planning.
4. Teacher Separation
One of the Attorneys, Frank Williams, has notified the Association that he
has received from the Attorney General's Department the cheque for $445,440
which represents the costs taxed in the Supreme Court. He also indicated that
the sum was utilized to cover fees for himself and Dr. Barnett as per the
agreement with respect to their fees.
In discussion him, he
also indicated that the costs to be recovered from the Appeals Court will
be utilized to cover their fees for appearing in the Supreme Court.
The Association will,
therefore, not recover any of the sum paid to the Attorneys. This was checked
with another Attorney for an opinion on the matter.
5. New Pensions Provisions
The Association has been informed that calculation of retroactive amounts
based on the new provisions have been done up to December 2002. The payments,
however, have not been made to the teachers who qualify. They have also noted
that there is a provision for fast tracking if an individual indicates an
urgent circumstance.
6. Lasco Awards
The second phase of the award began on January 16 with the short listing of
candidates to be interviewed. The interviews will take place before the end
of February. The Secretary Administration will provide additional information.
7. JTA/Berger Paints
Roll of Honour Award Presentation Ceremony
The 2002 Roll of Honour Award was conferred on Cyril Lebert at a function
on November 26, 2002. The Association recognizes the support of Berger Paints
Limited over the last 10 years. We also congratulate Mr. Lebert on being selected
for the award.
8. Function to Honour
Messrs. Downie, Hewitt and Smythe
Colleagues, relatives and friends of Messrs Downie, Hewitt and Smythe gathered
at the Pegasus on November 29, 2002 to honour and recognize the service given
to the Association and education. It was a pleasant occasion. The Guest Speaker
was Senator the Honourable Noel Monteith, Minister of State in the Ministry
of Education who gave a speech punctuated with a lot of humour.
9. Computer Programme
The present courses will end in February and the courses for February to July
are now being advertised. One Hundred and Thirty teachers are presently enrolled
in the programme.
The Management Committee
for the programme met on January 15 and recommended, among other things, the
following:
i. that the fee for the
courses to begin in February be reduced from $11,590.00 to $9,950.00. The
subsidy will be provided from the allocation from the Ministry of Education
to assist with computer training;
ii. that the pool of teachers
to benefit from the computer loan programme be expanded to include those who
have completed certified courses and that the number of loans in this category
be limited to seven per month.
10. JTA Strategic Plan
Phase one (Customer Prescription Survey) in the development of the plan has
been completed. Phase two, which includes discussions with Officers and Senior
Staff and focus on group, has begun. It is expected that the first draft of
the plan will be ready by March.
11. Master Teacher
Programme
The JTA has agreed to assist with identifying qualified teachers to sit on
the Assess Panels which visit teachers who have been short-listed for assessment.
The inadequate number of suitable persons to comprise the Panels was one of
the reasons given for the delay in the appointment of teachers to the position.
12. National Council
on Education
The Council is scheduled to meet on February 13, 2003. A new chairman has
not yet been appointed. Dr. Dennis Irvine is the acting chairman.
13. Education Conference
Planning for the conference continues. Information brochures have been circulated
to schools. First payment is due on February 28 and the final payment in March.
The major challenge is securing sponsorship to cover some of the related expenses.
14. Bachelor in Education
(Distance Programme) for Secondary Schools
University of the West Indies, in conjunction with the Ministry of Education,
is offering a degree programme using the distance mode for teachers to teach
at the secondary level. Applications for admission to the programme in January
2004 will close February 28, 2003. A flyer with additional information has
been laid on the table.
15. Meetings with the
Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture
Two meetings have been held since November 2002. The matters dealt with include:
15.1 Shift Allowance
for Principals of Community Colleges
The Tertiary Unit at the Ministry had conducted a survey to determine the
practice in the Colleges for compensating persons for additional work. Out
of this exercise the unit recommended that the principals should be paid an
allowance equivalent to the shift allowance paid to the principals in Teachers'
Colleges. However, there was agreement between the Ministries of Education
and Finance on whether the allowance should be pensionable. The Association's
position is that the allowance should be treated in the same way as the shift
allowance paid to principals in Teachers' Colleges.
15.2 Special Leave for Sports Co-ordinators
It appears that the Ministry will consider the special leave for the co-ordinators
to do the final preparations for their athletes to participate in the National
Primary and All Age Championships. The Association is proposing that the leave
be granted for period May 5 - 16, 2003. If accepted, the Co-ordinators will
be expected to apply for the leave as per usual procedure.
15.3 The District Model
of School Governance
The Ministry of Education is proceeding with the piloting of the two District
Boards - one in St. Catherine and the other in Clarendon. This is being done
despite the non-support of the Model by the Association, churches and the
National Council on Education. The meeting between the JTA and the New Minister
and her team was held and the JTA's position paper discussed. The Association
will present to the Ministry recommendations on what could be done for the
present system of governance to achieve the specified educational objectives.
15.4 Overpayment of
Specialist Teachers
The exercise to determine the teachers who have been overpaid has not yet
been completed. The Association has found that it is at the time of computation
of pension benefits that a number of teachers have found that they owe the
Government significant sums of money. The purpose of the exercise is to correct
the situation.
16. CUT Activities
16.1 John Thompson
Attachment
The CUT, in conjunction with the Canadian Teachers' Federation, is organizing
the second phase of the John Thompson Attachment. The JTA is being asked
to nominate one person to participate in the programme which should be during
April 2003.
16.2 Executive Meeting
The next Executive Meeting will take place in Antigua and Barbuda April
17 - 20, 2003. The Executive meeting will be on the 19th and will be preceded
by a Consultation on School Violence and Safety for the North American and
Caribbean Regional Conference will take place on the 20th.
All CUT Units will be
expected to prepare a document on the current situation on school violence
and safety in the respective units for presentation at the Consultation.
16.3 Status of Women
Seminar
A Status of Women Leadership Training Seminar is being planned for February
19 - 25, 2003 in St. Lucia. Each unit is being asked to send the chairperson
of its women's committee. Mrs. Judith Spencer-Jarrett and Mrs. Ruth Brown
will attend as a member of CUT's Women's Committee and a Resource person
respectively. The cost of accommodation and travel will be the responsibility
of the CUT.
17. Secretariat
The Chairman of the Interviewing Panel set-up to select someone to fill the
vacancy of Senior Secretary Teachers' and Schools Services will present report
of the panel.
