New Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) President Dr Garth Anderson (right) holds the torch after it was lit by outgoing JTA president Georgia Waugh Richards (left) symbolizing the passing of authority, during an investiture ceremony in St James Monday night, at the Association’s 54th annual conference. In his acceptance speech, Dr Anderson, principal of Church Teachers’ College, led a blistering assault on the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) and other Ministry of Education policies. The JTA president said teachers and principals were not ready for the PEP that Government wants to start using to assess Grade 6 performance, as of next March. Dr Anderson said it should be phased in, starting with Grade 3 classes being prepared for it beginning in September. He said Government should keep the GSAT over the next few years while the system is fixed and teachers, administrators and parents are made ready for PEP. “Minister, the implementation of the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) element of the National Standards Curriculum is on track to fail,” Dr Anderson said, speaking directly to Education Minister Senator Ruel Reid who was at the head table. “The teachers…have been indicating that they are not ready to deliver the curriculum,
