Drained Brilliance: Jamaica’s Education Professionals Seeking Opportunities Abroad
BY: ALEXCIA CAMPBELL Ncu staff reporter acampbell42@stu.ncu.edu.jm
Brain drain poses a significant challenge within Jamaica’s societal framework, hindering the country’s progress. Broadly speaking, brain drain relates to the migration of qualified and skilled people..
According to Globaleconomy.com, Jamaica’s brain drain index is at an all-time high of 9.5 and has been above 8 since 2017, indicating the severity of the issue. The education sector is greatly affected by this phenomenon and is experiencing serious staffing shortages.
(Yakeisha Daley, a teacher at Foga Road High, in her classroom teaching English).
In a recent interview, Leighton Johnson, President of the Jamaica Teachers Association, emphasized the impact of brain drain on the education sector. He highlighted significant vacancies in specific subjects, leading to programme discontinuation in some schools. Johnson also noted that experienced teachers are the ones most likely to leave, exacerbating the issue.
“In terms of numbers, the teacher migration, or brain drain as you call it, I believe is significant. There are still vacancies in specific subject disciplines such as English Language, Mathematics, Plumbing, Metalwork, and Carpentry due to the lack of suitably qualified teachers, they are high in demand and short [in] supply. Some schools have stopped offering programmes due to the absence of teachers in these disciplines. Although experienced teachers remain, it’s notable that those leaving are often the ones with significant years of experience,” said Johnson.
Collet McKenzie Thorney, a former teacher at the Marcus Garvey Technical High School with almost 11 years of experience started her teaching career in 2014. She migrated to the United Kingdom in 2018 and is a Science and Chemistry teacher there to date. She explained that she gained exposure that caused an improvement in her career, better salary, and a more comfortable living, all from migrating. She also mentioned the downsides to migration. These included being away from family and having to embrace a new culture and people.
“I had opportunities to interact with more professionals, even on a global scale, which enlightened me on how to better my career and practices in the classroom. Financially it has been better as well, it’s more comfortable to work, eat healthy, pay bills, and support family, said Thorney.
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(JTA President Lighton Johnson — salary an important push factor)
According to The Guardian (UK) in an article published April 2, 2024, Jamaica alone supplied 486 qualified teachers to schools in England last year, which is twice as many as in 2022. This surge in recruitment comes as schools in England launched drives to recruit teachers from Jamaica, a country with a population of just 2.8 million, which is also facing its own chronic shortages of qualified educators.
SALARY AND RESOURCES
When asked about the reasons why so many teachers were choosing to work abroad instead of staying in Jamaica and the role of the JTA in helping with retention, Johnson mentioned that teachers are leaving primarily due to salary factors. He explained that they could earn double within a year in other countries what they would in Jamaica. Additionally, he cited the inability of teachers to afford proper homes, and the availability of better resources, particularly in first-world countries, as contributing factors. Mr Johnson also said that the JTA’s focus is not necessarily on retention but rather on the betterment of teachers. He said teachers would have to consider whether migrating offered better opportunities for their personal improvement.
(Minister of Education Fayval Williams, insists teachers and the Ministry have the same aim)
According to Johnson, several teachers’ colleges in Jamaica are currently operating below capacity, indicating there will always be a need for teachers. He suggested that the government could offer more scholarships for the disciplines that are in high demand, such as Language, Mathematics, Science, and skilled areas. Another suggestion was that the government could train specific teachers for export or train overseas teachers and have them go back to their country.
Back in April of 2023, Minister of Information Robert Morgan assured teachers that the Government’s ongoing compensation review would benefit all public-sector workers in the long term.
Teachers across the nation will have the opportunity to enhance their skills through various professional development programs offered by the National College for Educational Leadership and the Jamaica Teaching Council (JTC). Minister of Education Fayval Williams highlighted these initiatives during a session in the House of Representatives, on January 16, 2024.
The Minister continues to try to assure teachers that the Government is doing all in its power to improve their condition and those of the classrooms for the advancement of Jamaican children.
In April, speaking at the 60th anniversary service of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association in Mandeville she insisted that the teacher organization and the Ministry of Education had the same aims and goals.
Despite the numerous assurances to teachers that they are valued, and incentives implemented by the Ministry of Education to combat teacher migration, many teachers still feel that these measures are not adequately addressing their concerns in a timely manner. Consequently, they continue to question whether Jamaica truly provides the conducive environment promised for ‘the place of choice to live, work, raise families and do business’, contributing to the brain drain index in Jamaica being at an all-time high.
(Alexcia Campbell is an NCU staff reporter. She may be reached at acampbell42@stu.ncu.edu.jm)
