1. INTRODUCTION
We extend a special welcome to members of General Council to this third regular meeting since the beginning of the conference year. This meeting could be regarded as historic, given that this is the first time that a regular meeting of the Council is being held outside of Kingston.

Special thanks to the management of the Renaissance Jamaica Grande Resort for the offer to host this meeting of the Council. We appreciate the gesture and hope that the relationship that has been established between the JTA and the Management and Staff of this hotel will continue to be cordial and mutually beneficial.

The Council is meeting at a time when significant developments are taking place nationally, regionally and internationally. The most recent of these has to do with the situation in Haiti, one of our closest neighbours. We are all saddened by what has taken place and the possible consequences for legitimate governments in the region and worldwide. As the President indicated to the Most Honourable Prime Minister earlier this week, the JTA supports the position taken by CARICOM on the situation. It is my hope that the situation will be resolved soon and that a legitimate government will be provided to allow the country to begin to build its democratic institutions and uplift the conditions of the people of the country.

The Association continues to deplore the attacks against teachers and their property by students and parents. The education system will not improve unless teachers feel safe to carry out their professional duties and schools become places where students feel safe and protected.

Colleagues, we have some major decisions to take today. Let us approach each issue with clarity of thought and let the decisions we arrive at be those that will be in the best interest of the Association, and the country.

Let us commit ourselves once again to excellence in all we do as we UNITE and SERVE!

2. SALARY NEGOTIATIONS
2.1 Teachers in the Public System
· Salary Claim for 2004 - 2006
A 19-point claim for the period April 1, 2004 to March 31, 2006 was submitted in January.

· Refund of 50% Tuition
The item is accepted and there is agreement on most of the conditions governing the refund. The Ministry of Education is doing a survey to collect data on the range of existing tuition fees and the number of teachers enrolled in part-time programmes.

· Graduate Allowance for Principals of Infant, Primary and All Age Schools
The JTA has submitted its position on the matter to the Ministry of Finance and Planning.

· Shift Allowance for Principals of Community Colleges
The Ministry of Finance and Planning has not responded to the JTA’s claim that the allowance should be pensionable.

· Vacation Leave for New Entrants into the Teaching Service
The Government has not changed its position which is one term’s leave after eight years for classroom teachers and six years for principals. This has been rejected by the JTA which maintains that there should be no change in the existing provisions.

· Housing Allowance for Principals in Tertiary (non-university) Institutions
There is ongoing discussion on the issue.

· Lecturers at the Edna Manley College
The lecturers were paid the new salaries in December 2003 and will be paid the retroactive amounts in April 2004.

2.2 HEART Trust/NTA Instructors
The claim for the 2004 – 2006 period is being prepared for submission. The contract period ends on May 31, 2004.

Regarding the outstanding issue concerning new salary out of the Job Evaluation, the JTA’s Attorney has advised that a meeting be sought with the Executive Director in an effort to come to a satisfactory resolution. If this fails, then the JTA should consider taking the legal route.

3. MEMORANDUM OF NDERSTAND- ING (MOU)
Nineteen trade unions signed the historic Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Jamaica and the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions on Monday, February 16, 2004. The Jamaica Teachers’ Association was one of the two trade unions which did not sign. The decision was based on the principle enunciated by our President from the beginning of the discussions, namely, that based on the structure of the JTA, he could not sign any agreement without first discussing the matter with his constituents and receiving a mandate from them.

To make teachers aware of the content of the Memorandum of Understanding, meetings were held across the island.

4. MEETING WITH THE NATIONAL HOUSING TRUST
A group, headed by the President, met with officers of the NHT on February 3, 2004 to address the JTA’s claim in the 2003 – 2004 negotiations for teachers to pay a maximum of 50% of the deposit on NHT units and lots. This was not entertained by the Trust but the following issues were raised:

(i) Teachers who had made deposits on lots in the proposed Fair Prospect Development

· Teachers will be given priority in the selection process for the service lots in the said development

· JTA will provide a listing of persons who had made deposit

· JTA will provide a listing of eligible teachers who are working and/or living in Portland and are desirous of accessing loans to purchase the lots.

(ii) Twickenham Park Scheme Allocation for Teachers
· There is no need for special provision since JTA is part of the Trade Union groups who are in the Joint Venture arrangement with the NHT.

(iii) Lands taken over by NHT from JTAHC
· There are five such parcels of land
· Preference will be given to teachers to purchase lots or houses in these developments

(iii) Land owned by JTA
· The route of the Joint Venture Programme should be explored.

· NHT can provide development financing at 8% - 12%

(iv) Purchasing of parcels of land by groups of teachers
· Groups of teachers can buy parcels of land together (utilizing NHT’s House Lot Loans)

· Get sub-division approval

· Put in infrastructure

· Teachers will then access Construction Loans

(v) Government Lands
· The JTA should lobby the government to provide parcels of lands for teachers.

· NHT will assist with their development

5. LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGE
Based on information received from the UCJ, the Evaluation of Qualifications committee (EQC) of the Teachers’ Service Commission ruled that the transcripts presented by graduates of the LACJ’s programmes did not show adequate numbers of upper level credits and therefore the persons qualification could not be upgraded to Trained Graduate status.

The Association regrets this outcome and feels that there was not due diligence on the part of the institution and the UCJ.

6. TASK FORCE TO REVIEW THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
The Task Force has been set up by the Prime Minister to do the review. The Task Force has held three meetings as well as a minimum of one meeting of each of the five sub-committees. The President represents the JTA on the Task Force and sits on two of the sub-committees. One meeting and a one-day workshop were held with the facilitators and Steering Team set up by the Minister of Education, Youth and culture to conduct a review through interviews and Round Table discussions island wide. The findings from the Round Table discussions will be turned over to the Task Force to be considered when the final report is being compiled. The Terms of Reference for the Task Force have been laid on the table. The work of the Task Force is being co-ordinated by National Council on Education.

7. JTA’s STRATEGIC PLAN
The second meeting of the Monitoring Committee that was scheduled for March 26, had to be postponed. A new date will be set for early April at which meeting the Secretary General will present an implementation plan for the recommendations in years 1 and 2 and recommendations regarding the deployment of the existing staff as per the structure recommended in the plan.

8. STUDY CIRCLE WORKSHOP ON H.I.V./A.I.D.S. EDUCATION
Arising out of the workshop held in Guyana on HIV/AIDS education attended by Senior Secretary Dorothy Raymond, a workshop was held at the Wyndham Rose Hall Hotel on March 18, 2004. There were over 65 participants made up of members of the parish Study Circle Co-ordinating Committees identified to be the first of the trainers to undertake the training as part of the JTA’s drive to help fight the deadly disease. This workshop was of the effort of ILO, Education International and other international agencies that are co-operating to find strategies to help stem the rapid spread of the disease. The Caribbean now ranks just after Sub-Sahara Africa in the incidence of HIV/AIDS.

General Council is invited to give its support to the programme to be undertaken by the JTA in support of Jamaica’s national programme.

9. COMPUTER TRAINING PROGRAMME
The second cohort of participants in the JTA’s Computer Programme began the course in February 2004. There are 106 persons registered in the four centres, namely, Kingston, Port Maria, Montego Bay and Mandeville. This number includes 23 persons registered in an advanced programme.

10. WORKSHOP ON CLASSROOM TEST CONSTRUCTION AND MEASUREMENT
Eighty-three participants attended a workshop on Test Construction and Measurement at the JTA Institute for Professional Development and Research on February 19, 2004.

From all reports, the workshop was informative and well received. There are request for it to be repeated.

11. MEMBERSHIP
The membership in the Association was 20, 377 at February 2004 with the membership in the Bursar-paid schools being 2,998 and the Ministry-paid schools being 15,085.

The incentive scheme approved by the Association as a means to increase the overall membership has been implemented. Persons who are to benefit will receive cheques at this meeting of Council. Three hundred and four teachers were recruited to the end January and the total incentive payment will be $79,641.18.

New application forms are to be designed to capture the information necessary for the effective operation of the scheme.

12. PRESIDENT ELECT ELECTIONS
The following persons have accepted nomination and will be the candidates in the 2004 President Elect elections:

· David Brown, Principal, Garvey Maceo High School, Clarendon

· Patricia Brown, Principal, Bloxbourgh All Age School,
St. Andrew

· Cecelia Grant-Francis, Principal, Kilsyth Primary School, Clarendon

· Hopeton Henry , Principal, Seaforth High School,
St. Thomas

· Ruel Reid , Master Teacher, Munroe College, St. Elizabeth

Brochures with information on the candidates are being prepared for circulation to schools. The election will take place June 21 – 25, 2004.

13. EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION CONFERENCE
At the time of writing, over 230 persons had registered for the conference to be held at the Renaissance Jamaica Grande Resort, April 13 – 15, 2004. This includes participants from the Cayman Islands, Bermuda, Trinidad and Barbados.

All arrangements for the conference are being put into place. We commend the members of the Planning Committee and the various sub-committees and the JTA staff for their efforts to ensure that the event is a success.

14. 40TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS
The JTA will celebrate 40 years of existence between April 2004 and March 2005. The celebrations will begin with a church service on April 4, 2004 at the Kingston Parish Church. The other activities will include:

· Publication of a Supplement in the Sunday Gleaner on April 25, 2004.

· A grand exhibition in March 2005.

· Anniversary Awards banquet and ball on August 18, 2004 as part of the 40th anniversary conference.

· A President’s Luncheon.

· Presentation Ceremony for the Prime Minister’s Award for Service to Education.

· Production of a video/DVD on the JTA

· Pictorial exhibition at annual conference.

15. AWARDS.
The JTA awards Committee had two meetings and, among other things, re-examined the nomination forms for the JTA Awards and made improvements as necessary. The designated groups to make nominations are encouraged to give as much information as possible on the person(s) being nominated. Nomination forms are in circulation

· The Prime Minister’s Award for Service to Education
The Most Honourable Prime Minister has agreed to make annual awards to teachers for service in the field of education. The awards will begin in 2004 and will be, for this year, in recognition of the JTA’s 40th anniversary. Copies of the nomination form and the guidelines are laid on the table.

Note should be taken that nomination forms are to be completed and returned to the Chancery of the Orders of the Societies of Honour by April 16, 2004. This will facilitate the selection of the recipients and the announcement during Education Week.

The nomination forms and guidelines will be circulated to the named groups during next week.

16. NATIONAL COUNCIL ON EDUCATION
The first meeting of the new Council was held on February 10, 2004. The members of the Council are as listed.

· Dr. Rae Davis, UTECH, Chairman
· Mrs. Marguerite Bowie, MOEY&C, Ex-officio Member
· Mrs. Betty-Ann Blaine, Parent
· Dr. Norma Buchanan, Governor General’s Nominee
· Dr. Adolph Cameron, Jamaica Teachers’ Association
· Dr. Winston Davidson, Professional Societies Association of Jamaica
· Senator Norman Grant, Jamaica Agricultural Society
· Mr. Robert Gregory, Governor General’s Nominee
· Ms. Lilieth Harris, Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions
· Ms. Gillian Haughton, Press Association of Jamaica
· Mrs. Marie Hitchins, Private Sector Organization of Jamaica
· Prof. Zellyne Jennings-Craig, University of the West Indies
· Mr. Caswell McLeish, Governor General’s Nominee
· Mrs. Dahlia Repole, Jamaica Council of Churches
· Rev. Philip Robinson, Jamaica Council of Churches
· Dr. Ronald Robinson, Jamaica Labour Party
· Dr. Maureen Samms-Vaughn, Governor General’s Nominee
· Dr. Nadine Scott, Jamaica Teachers’ Association
· Mr. Milverton Smith, Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association
· Rev. Dr. Marion Sutton, Governor General’s Nominee
· Dr. Orville Taylor, University Council of Jamaica
· Dr. Ralph Thompson, Governor General’s Nominee
· Mrs. Cecile Walden Governor Generals’ Nominee
· Dr. Michael Whittingham, People’s National Party
· Miss Nicolene Whitter, National Secondary Schools’ Council.

17. REVISION OF THE EDUCATION REGULATIONS
The JTA has had two meetings with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture to discuss the proposed amendments to the Education Regulations. There has been agreement on some items but not on those to which the JTA has strong objections. A third meeting was proposed but has not yet been convened.

18. EDUCATION INTERNATIONAL FOURTH WORLD CONGRESS
The 4th World Congress of EI will be held July 22 – 26, 2004 in Porto Allegre, Brazil under the theme Education for Global Progress.

The Business Services unit is organizing a tour to Brazil to coincide with the Congress. Brochures with the relevant information have been circulated to schools.

The JTA-supported delegates to EI Congress are the President and, where funds are available, one member of the Administrative Staff.

19. HOSTING OF CUT’S ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Most Honourable Prime Minister, on March 23, officially launched the Tag Drive to raise funds to stage the Meet. Tags were circulated to schools prior to this date and we are hoping that Parish Presidents will give an update on sale of the tags in their parishes.

In terms of sponsorship, Blue Cross of Jamaica and the National Housing Trust have committed $600,000 and $300,000 respectively as sponsorship. Follow-up is taking place on the requests made to other companies. Contact has also been made with the Chairman of Independence Park requesting a waiver of the charges for the use of the National Stadium.

The sub-committees have been working very hard to have all the critical areas properly planned for. The first training session for the Liaison Officers was held yesterday.

We are confident that the championships will be a major success and something that we will be proud of.

Le us give it our full support.

20. PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL OF TEACHERS
The Steering Committee has signed off on the draft instrument. The pilot is expected to start during the first week of the summer term. The pilot will be implemented in Regions I and V and the sample of schools selected will represent all types and categories of schools.

A series of workshops for Appraisers will be conducted and one-day workshops will be held with major stakeholders. The first of these sessions will be held on April 2, 2004 at the Medallion Hall Hotel.

Copies of the instrument have been laid on the table.

21. FOLLOW-UP TO THE 15TH COMMONWEALTH CONFERENCE OF EDUCATION MINISTERS
Ministers of Education, at the 15th Conference of Commonwealth Ministers of Education held in Edinburgh, Scotland from October 27 – 30, 2003, discussed the critical issue of international teacher recruitment and viewed it as one of the most urgent issues to be addressed in “Closing the Gap” in access, achievement and inclusion with respect to education in the Common-wealth. They established a Working Group on Teacher Recruitment with TOR to:

· develop appropriate and ethical Codes of Conduct;
· report to all Ministers by April 2004;
· finalize the document with a Ministerial Group by September.

The Working Group had its first meeting in Masera Lethoso, February 23 – 25, 2004 and prepared a draft Commonwealth Teacher Recruitment Protocol. This draft will be circulated to the Ministers of Education by April 2004 and a final protocol agreed on by the Ministerial Group to meet in September 2004 in London.

The General Secretary of CUT was invited to the meeting of the Working Group in Lesotho, but he was unable to attend.

Members of Council may request a copy of the document from the JTA Secretariat.

22. EDUCATION WEEK 2004
Education Week 2004 will be May 2 – 8. General Council needs to decide on a theme for the Week. This could be the same as that for the 40th anniversary activities.

23. UNESCO’s DRAFT POSITION PAPER ON LIFE SKILLS
The JTA has been selected as one of six teacher organizations of EI to respond to a position paper on Life Skills prepared by UNESCO. A group of approximately 20 persons have been invited to a meeting on Tuesday, March 30, 2004 at 97 Church Street to discuss the document and prepare a response for submission to EI by the first week in April.

24. ALLIED GROUP
The Annual General Meeting of the JTA Co-operative Credit Union will be held on May 1, 2004 at the Jamaica Conference Centre.

The Jamaica Publishing House continues to play an important role in the publication of textbooks for schools. The latest publications are Resistance and Revolt in the Lest You Forget series by Dorris Hamilton Willie, Head of the History Department at Cornwall College and a literature text – Great White Cloud by a new Jamaican writer, Effiam Johnson.

The Publishing House also has a new sales representative, Mr. Andrew Hynes, who replaced Mr. Alford Brown who has migrated.

25. NOMINATION TO FILL THE VACANCY ON THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Council needs to elect a member to fill the vacancy on the Board of Trustees caused by the death of our late colleague Fred Titus.

The Board of Trustees, at its meeting on March 25, 2004, supported the view that the vacancy should be filled by a female and recommended Dr. Nadine Scott for consideration by Council. The person elected will be recommended to annual conference for approval.

26. CUT ACTIVITIES
· Executive Committee Meeting
The first full meeting of the Executive Committee was held December 6 and 7, 2003 in the British Virgin Island. The meeting was chaired by the new President, Mr. Byron Farquharson. Almost all units were represented.

· North America/Caribbean Regional Conference
Over 80 delegates from teacher unions in the Caribbean and North America participated in the Conference held in Nevis, December 1-4, 2003. The theme was Achieving Quality Education in North America and the Caribbean. The proceedings of the conference is being prepared for circulation to the teacher unions.

· John Thompson Fellowship
The Canadian Teachers’ Federation has selected the six persons from the Caribbean to take part in the third phase of the John Thompson Caribbean Attachment. The persons selected are:

(i) Avril Crawford (Guyana)
(ii) Anthony Wolffe (Bermuda)
(iii) Cecil Hodge (British Virgin Islands)
(iv) Celestine John (Anguilla)
(v) Jerry Coopal (Dominica)
(vi) Vivian Sedney (Suriname)

The Fellows will be in Canada from April 28 to May 8, 2004 and will be hosted by the Manitoba Teachers’ Society and the Alberta Teachers’ Association.

· Meeting of CUT Officers
The Presidents, General Secretary and Deputy General Secretary met in Antigua and Barbuda on March 13, 2004, to map out a plan of action for the remainder of the biennium. Also in attendance were the EI Regional Co-ordinator and the Immediate Past President of the CUT.
· Training for Women
The EI Regional Co-ordinator has allocated, through the Caribbean Women’s Network, a sum of EC$5,000 to units that have submitted a proposal for training for women. JTA was the first unit to submit a proposal

· Educational Assistance to Women
The Status of Women’s Committee is co-ordinating a programme to select five women who are pursuing educational programmes and who show evidence of financial need. The amount to each person selected will be Ca$1,000. Nomination forms will be circulated to the units.

· EI Supported Women to the 4th World Congress
EI will fully support five women from the Caribbean to attend the 4th World Congress in Brazil. The selections have been made by the Status of Women’s Committee and the EI Co-ordinator. Selected are:

(i) Judith Spencer-Jarrett
Chairperson, SOW Commit-tee
(ii) Adeltis Bain-Stubbs
(Bahamas)
(iii) Lorraine Vrden (Suriname)
(iv) Emily Martinez (Belize)

27. NOMINATION FOR AN OPEN SEAT ON THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF EDUCATION INTERNATIONAL
The CUT officers, at the meeting in Antigua and Barubda, agreed to put forward Colin Greene, Immediate Past President of the CUT, as a candidate for one of the seven ‘Open Seats’ on the Executive Board of Education International. Letters have been sent to the CUT units asking them to support the nomination

28. SECRETARIAT
· Congratulations
We heartily congratulate Mrs. Charmaine Gooden Monteith and Mrs. Pauline Gray Wellington who ‘tied the knot’ in December and February respectively. The lucky men are Mr. Daniel Monteith and Mr. Sidney Wellington. We wish both couples ‘heaps’ of happiness and bliss through the many years ahead.

Congratulations also to Mrs. Monteith on successfully completing her M.Sc. degree in Human Resource Development.

· Welcome
We welcome Mr. Patrick Brown to the staff of the JTA. Mr. Brown joined the staff in the Accounts Department in February. We hope that he will enjoy his time with us and make a contribution to the service provided to our members.

I would like to express my sincere thanks to those members of staff who have been going the ‘extra mile’ to ensure the successful implementation of the programs of the Association over the period.

LONG LIVE THE JTA!

Prepared by: Adolph Cameron