WENTWORTH LIVINGSTON GABBIDON
Thirty sixth President of the JTA

Mr. Wentworth Livingston Gabbidon, a son of the garden parish of St. Ann is the 36th President of the Jamaica Teachers' Association. He hails from the small farming community of Welcome near Carney District, a few miles out of Alexandria. The new President is from a family of eleven and is the sixth child. His father is alive but his mother pre-deceased him.

"It feels very good to have reached this height in the association", Mr. Gabbidon said with a look of achievement. He believes that his ascendancy to the role of President of the Jamaica Teachers Association is a fitting tribute to his years of dedication and hard work.

He received his early education at Clydesdale and Frankfield Primary then worked as a Pre -Trained Teacher. After receiving in service training he attended Mico Teachers College to complete his training as a Teacher. After graduating from Mico he did the Teacher Upgrading Programme at Church Teachers College. His desire to acquire a higher educational standard led him to the University of the West Indies, Mona where he pursued the Bachelor of Education Degree in Educational Administration. Mr. Gabbidon continues to broaden his educational horizon and is currently completing the MSc. (Teaching and Learning) at Nova Southeastern University. He has pursued numerous short courses put on by the Ministry of Education Youth and Culture and the Jamaica Teachers Association. Some of these include, Summer course in Spanish at the Maryland University, Reform of Secondary Education Programme (ROSE) and the JTA/ HEART/NTA Computer Training Programme among others.

He is currently employed at the Pike All Age School as Principal. The President has served at various educational institutions such as Lalor Primary school, Hatfield Primary and Junior High and Huntley All Age.

Mr. Gabbidon has had a long and distinguished association with the J.T.A. dating back to 1977 when he became a member of the Jamaica Teachers' Association. He has served in various capacities from the District Association level to the Parish Association level and now at the National level. At the D.A. level, he served as President and was a member of several committees including the Professional Advancement Committee and Sports Committee among many others. He was President of the Manchester Parish Association on two occasions, 1991-1992 and 1998-1999 and was also Chairman of the Parish Membership committee. At the national level he is a member of General Council, Central Executive, Member of Resolutions, Salaries and Conditions of Service Committee, Education and Research Committee, Sports and Professional Advancement Committee.

He has received numerous awards such as the Social Development Commission Certificate for outstanding youth club leadership, JTA R.C. Tavares Award for outstanding service, JTA Wesley Powell Scholarship, U.WI. Certificate for outstanding performance in leadership, Ebenezer All Age school Award for outstanding Contribution to education and the JTA WBC Ben Hawthorne Award for outstanding service to JTA, Education and Community Development.

What can Teachers expect during his tenure of office? The President has the following as some of the priority areas that he will be giving attention to:

• Hosting a conference on Early Childhood Education in March 2004
• Training young members as leaders
• Designing and implementing a membership programme for new teachers
• Continuing to agitate for better salaries and conditions of service for all teachers
• Expansion programmes to assist teachers in their pursuit of academic and professional development
• Expansion the role of the Institute for Professional Development and Research in the professional development of teachers by collaborating with the MOEYC to provide additional funds for training programmes
• Continuing to press for the role of clerical positions in schools
• Advocate for the appointment of Vice Principals in all education institutions
• Pursuing vigorously the provision of Specialist Teachers for visual Arts, Music and Physical Education.
• Lobbying for greater emphasis to be placed on provisions for exceptional students.

The new President expects to rise to the challenge in the new year and to make Professional Development and improved communication among the membership two of his priority areas in the new year.

He is married to Carlene. They have one daughter.